Need the Board's Advice on Injury

[miller31time]

I was playing a pickup game of basketball today. I made a quick spin move and stepped on a small divot in the cement. I sprained my ankle....for the 4th time in about 2 years (and keep in mind I only play about half of each year). Twice on one side, twice on the other.

I have a brace that I usually wear but it is extremely uncomfortable and actually makes my foot hurt after I'm done playing.

My family collectively has weak ankles and are prone to sprains.

What would you guys recommend I do about this problem? Is there a particular brace that I should wear? A specific shoe that's good for these kinds of things? A pre-game ritual I should do? Animal sacrifices?

Any help is appreciated.

[Dat2U]

stop snitchin'

[Benjammin]

stop snitchin'

That's just cold, Dat.

[Donkey McDonkerton]

IBTL, wrong thread...use the Random thoughts..stop cluddering the board

[miller31time]

I hate all of you.

[fifthstop]

3 steps.

1. Get it well. No ball til the pain goes away. Ice twice a day. Bucket of ice water (sorry) is the best way to go. OTC anti-inflammatory--asperine or ibuprofin.

2. get it strong. When the inflammation goes away start doing standing toe-raisers every day. Start with sets of 50 and keep adding. I can do 1000+ at a time. A good time to do them is when you're waiting for the metro. Do one set straight, one set pigeon-toed, one set with toes pointing outward. one set where you rest on your heels and raise the balls of your feet. Don't add weight. Go with body weight+ high volume. This is for life if you have chronically weak ankles. If your ankles are not chronically weak but just under developed, then this will set them right and you can stop them once they're strong.

3. get it flexible. When the resting pain is gone (do not stretch through a sprained joint!), build flexibility, first by drawing the alphabet in the air with your toes. You can add a calf stretch after whatever you do for cardio. Dig around in the sand with them at the beach this summer.

Not sure about braces. I tend to think it's better to build stability within the body instead of external devices, which risk compensation injuries.

I'm not doc. If your insurance is good, use it and go have it checked out.

[Rafael122]

Yeah, check your doctor out. You could have weak bones. Drink milk if that's the case, and rub some ben gay on it.

[TheSecretWeapon]

Best solution is the one I always suggest to my kids whenever they have a headache -- amputation.







Seriously, I play ball once or twice a week on an arthritic knee. And a surgically repaired shoulder. And suspect ankles. And chondromalacia in the other knee. And a torn meniscus in the arthritic knee. The recommendation to get it well before you play on it is good advice, but you know, c'mon. We all know you're not going to follow it. Anymore than I followed my ortho's advice to have microfracture surgery and the meniscus fixed. Shoot, at my age, "90% of what I am right now in a year" just doesn't sound that appealing.

I've never been a big fan of braces -- I think they're either a) worthless; or b) just push the stress to another joint. Here's my regimen: before I play, I take 2 naproxen sodium and 2 acitomenephen (extra strength). After I play, I take 800mg ibuprofen and ice the offending knee. Everytime, no exceptions. Not even when it "feels great" after I play. I try to keep my minutes in a single session down, and if I push the outer limits (like I did last weekend), I skip a night (like tonight).

As for the ankles, I'd consider consulting with a competent trainer or physical therapist to see if there are exercises you can do to strengthen the muscles around the joint. There probably are some. For me and my knees (and hips and shoulders and neck and ankles and arches), pilates have been fantastic (when I make time to go to the class).

[miller31time]

Thanks for the information and advice. My brother (who I play with) said the same thing about seeing a physical therapist. He also suggested that I wear high-tops so I'll probably pick up a pair of those soon.

[FreeBalling]

You know the saying. ( Only after you get healthy.)

[FreeBalling]

Miller I've had the same problem walking playing golf, nothing is level on a golf course.

My fix is this. I've not had a problem in years. ( Hope this helps.) I do 5 sets of 2X my weight at 10 reps. Some days I do burn-out-sets. Like 20% less weight at 20-25 reps.

Big hitters in golf have strong legs.

[hands11]

I was playing a pickup game of basketball today. I made a quick spin move and stepped on a small divot in the cement. I sprained my ankle....for the 4th time in about 2 years (and keep in mind I only play about half of each year). Twice on one side, twice on the other.

I have a brace that I usually wear but it is extremely uncomfortable and actually makes my foot hurt after I'm done playing.

My family collectively has weak ankles and are prone to sprains.

What would you guys recommend I do about this problem? Is there a particular brace that I should wear? A specific shoe that's good for these kinds of things? A pre-game ritual I should do? Animal sacrifices?

Any help is appreciated.

Once healthy again, stand on the leg with the other one up. You need to strengthen it.

Yoga type stuff.

[JWizmentality]

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I'm sorry, I got nothing. I know I know...of all the perfect opportunities, but I just can't bring myself to do it.

[FreeBalling]

[quote="JWizmentality"]...................

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JWiz how come you bust Miller Chops?

POST YOUR THOUGHTS. WHY DO YOU WANT HIS SPOT.

[fishercob]

Miller I've had the same problem walking playing golf, nothing is level on a golf course.

My fix is this. I've not had a problem in years. ( Hope this helps.) I do 5 sets of 2X my weight at 10 reps. Some days I do burn-out-sets. Like 20% less weight at 20-25 reps.

Big hitters in golf have strong legs.

Check out the glutes on FB!

miller, you're way too young to resort to pill-popping. As others have mentioned, you should focus on improving flexibility. It's the best way to avoid injury as you get older. I wish I had started stretching/yoga at your age.

There are plenty of manly man yoga DVD's and classes (some wrestler has one that my brother in law uses -- Diamond Dallas Page maybe?), or if you're secure enough in your manhood go to a yoga center and take an intro class. It's likely to be 80% chicks. Are you cool with staring at girls in spandex stretching for an hour? They also tend to have a soft spot for dudes who are man enough to try to hang with them...

[JWizmentality]

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JWiz how come you bust Miller Chops?

POST YOUR THOUGHTS. WHY DO YOU WANT HIS SPOT.

It's just toooo easy. The Great One never goes after easy bait.

[FreeBalling]

Check out the glutes on FB!

miller, you're way too young to resort to pill-popping. As others have mentioned, you should focus on improving flexibility. It's the best way to avoid injury as you get older. I wish I had started stretching/yoga at your age.

Supporting the body's weight is key to a healthy ankle. Miller FC is talking about your stabilizer mussels. Flexibility is key, but you must support your weight during impact.

[FreeBalling]

It's just toooo easy. The Great One never goes after easy bait.

I like Miller he;s one of us, why not go Global and go for "PINE"

[FreeBalling]

It's just toooo easy. The Great One never goes after easy bait.

I like Miller he;s one of us, why not go Global and go for "PINE"

[Rafael122]

We read you the first time.