I’m so bummed. I went running this morning and about 3/4 around the lake, I felt my ankle give way. It went snap! and I crashed to the ground. HELL, it hurt. I bloodied my knee and my palm where I tried to catch myself. My ankle is now a big swollen golf ball. It really hurts to walk on it. I was going to go to a Nia class today, but that’s clearly out. I just hope I am healed enough to do the Nia Jam (two hours of nonstop Nia with over a dozen teachers!) a week from today.
I knew something was wrong with my ankle. I sprained it while running about 3 months ago. It took a few weeks to heal, but then after my 5k a few weeks ago, it started bugging me again – just feeling kind of sore and a little unstable. What did I do? I ignored it and hoped for the best. Dumb. So today when I was running with my friend, we were talking, and there was an area where it went from path to sidewalk, just a little uneven surface. I just crashed (literally). It hurt like the devil, and we still had about 1/4 mile to go to the cars. I hobbled to the car.
Now I’ve got it propped up, I have an ice bag on it. It’s throbbing. It’s big. I just Googled “ankle sprain” and I’m trying to figure out if it is Grade 1 or 2. I sure hope it is Grade 1. But I’m realizing that this ankle is truly my body’s weak link for now.
This is one of my biggest fears in terms of weight loss, fitness, maintenance etc. That I will be injured for a long period of time and thus be unable to exercise, that I will become inactive and become blobby and gain weight etc etc…
But I can’t go there. I just have to try not to panic, to keep my ankle iced and elevated and try to remain calm. There are two events I am missing today because of this: my Nia class, and also a friend’s going away that is in a park, at a picnic site a 1/4 mile hike in. Can’t do. So I will take these extra hours. Get some writing done. Rest. Try to breathe.
foodfoodbodybody 
September 27, 2009 at 4:49 pm
Ouch! I hope it heals quickly for you. Sprains shouldn’t take long enough for you to get “blobby” again, but take it easy for as long as it takes.
I first sprained my ankle in junior high and that same ankle has been a weak spot for me ever since. I’ve since sprained it 3 times and “strained” it countless times. Once you’ve sprained it the first time, it really does become more easily sprained at other times.
Take care!
September 27, 2009 at 4:58 pm
Becky, thanks, I’ve been spraining this same ankle repeatedly ever since I was on the high school track team. But this summer/fall it seems to be more vulnerable than ever.
September 27, 2009 at 5:08 pm
there are also arm exercises and upper body things you can do while your ankle is down (i remember an arm cycling thing at D’s gym, right?) and maaaybe swimming?
but in the interim–I wish you good healing. your body’s asking you to rest. 🙂 eat lots of veggies and enjoy the downtime, too.
September 27, 2009 at 6:04 pm
Yikes! Sorry about your ankle – and I understand the fear of injury preventing you from exercising…I worry about hurting myself and not being able to workout. Funny how priorities change! Hope it heals quickly.
September 27, 2009 at 8:04 pm
Owww. So sorry to read this. I have my mom’s funky flat feet and even with my spiffy workout shoes, I have to be careful not to overdo. I started using the rowing machine (erging, right?) at my gym after your enthusiastic posts. Very low stress on the feet and a great workout.
Maybe this turned up in your Google search but I wanted to give a plug to Medlineplus.gov. It’s the National Library of Medicine’s info and portal site for consumer health information. Here’s a link to their page on sprains & strains and another on ankle injuries. Hope you recover quickly!
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/sprainsandstrains.html
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ankleinjuriesanddisorders.html
September 27, 2009 at 10:13 pm
Owwwie. I’ve had ankle problems for years. I had good luck though with some simple exercises to strengthen them. I just folded a few towels on the floor, stepped on the end and did simple heel raises. It did wonders.
Good luck getting back on your feet.
September 28, 2009 at 1:40 am
OMG! I got a comment from Jack Sh*t – my hero! Wow, I am so thrilled and honored by your visit.
But now I’m trying to figure out if you were kidding about the towels and the heel raises. Is there a joke in there somewhere?
Seriously though, thanks for stopping by. Come again!
September 27, 2009 at 10:28 pm
Please get some medical help and go to the NiaJam and dance, even if you dance a different way. I’ve danced with students in wheelchairs. Talk to the Nia teachers before or afterwards. There was a huge lesson (one of many) that I learned at Nia training: How you visualize and TALK about things makes a lot of difference. You have commented on how enthusiastic your Nia teachers are–there are reasons! Tell them about your ankle–you’ll be surprised how they support you.
There’s a story about a woman who went to a Nia class and told the instructor she’d never come again because she found it so painful in one leg. The teacher listened (turns out the woman had had multiple surgeries), showed her some alternative ways of using that leg, and encouraged her to try one more class. She was skeptical, felt a bit silly doing different moves, but admitted that she didn’t feel pain and had fun… Over time she learned how to strengthen her leg and changed some of her daily habits… That woman is now a Nia instructor.
September 28, 2009 at 1:42 am
Thank you Jane! What an awesome story. I wish I could come to your Nia class. Don’t worry, I’m going to that Nia Jam, come hell or high water, and I’ll do it all from “onion” position (rolling around on the floor) if I have to.
September 27, 2009 at 10:49 pm
So sorry to hear about your ankle! When I read the word “snap” I immediately thought of a tendon tear – hope its nothing serious!
Get some rest 😀
September 28, 2009 at 12:23 am
Susan, I have cerebral palsy and arthritis, and I manage to find a way to exercise… Not the same way as others, nor at the same speed, but I find ways that work for me. Don’t worry, you’ll NOT become blobby!
September 28, 2009 at 12:48 am
Oh my, Snuz. So painful. I’m glad you are taking it easy. You may have had a hairline fracture for a while and then the uneven pavement just sent you over the edge (literally and figuratively!)
I’m glad that you are taking care of yourself. For now, the most important thing is to get the swelling down, yes? just want you to know that I’m thinking of you. Anything I can do for you? I’ll be back in the bay area tomorrow.
Wendy
September 28, 2009 at 1:43 am
thank you my friend, I’m going to the podiatrist tomorrow and I hope he’ll fix me up.
September 28, 2009 at 3:10 am
Lordy! Hugs and… more hugs. So sorry to hear about your ankle. On another note, looking forward to your blog on Pollan and fat hatred… I’ve been wrestling with thoughts and feelings (but nothing coherent yet in way of engagement) with another friend’s blog post at http://john-b-cannon.livejournal.com/63807.html
until soon, md
September 28, 2009 at 10:42 am
Ouch! Sorry about the ankle. I hope it heals quickly. But I wanted to say about the being hurt and not being able to exercise that the fact that you are now in good shape will help. Over the past year, I’ve had several stretches when I couldn’t keep up my usual exercise routine. Once, it was because I tore a muscle in my calf, and once because of the flu and some nasty complications. (The third time it was because I was in India eating fried foods and drinking endless cups of chai, but no matter.) Each time I was bummed out (except for India), but I found that within a couple of weeks of starting my routine again, I was close to where I had been before in terms of exercise and feeling strong. On the one hand, I hated having to work back up to where I’d been, but on the other, It’s much easier once you’re at a certain level of fitness to begin with, which it seems like you certainly are. So, rest your ankle, be good to your body and don’t push it. How do you feel about swimming? That you could do without messing up your ankle.
Heal fast!
September 28, 2009 at 12:42 pm
How do I feel about swimming? That’s a whole other post!
September 28, 2009 at 3:17 pm
I’ve been following your twitter…I’m so sorry to hear about your ankle. I’ve got my fingers crossed for a speedy recovery for you! I know how frustrating and devastating an injury like that can be. I hope it doesn’t require surgery, only time and rest.
September 28, 2009 at 3:24 pm
Take it slow on your ankle and let it heal. and when it does, maybe where an ace bandage or brace for a bit unitl it’s completely strong again. You’ll find other exercises to do to stay fit while you’re healing, I’m sure!
In the meantime, your body is saying it’s time for a rest. Get better soon! Hugs!
September 29, 2009 at 9:55 am
I can totally empathize and sympathize… My ankles are also my body’s weakest link. Both my ankles have been so badly sprained they needed I had to put them in plaster. When the second incident happened – about 15 years after the first – they did a comparison x-ray to see how it compared to the other one and were very surprised that the old injury still rendered my ankle very unstable. It was more floppy than the recently injured one!
Hope you heal soon!
September 29, 2009 at 6:45 pm
Thank you for posting a link to the Jam poster. I added another poster for something else going on that weekend.
Jane is awesome and wise.
I can’t wait to meet you on Sunday!