Ankle Ligament Damage

[Footiegirl]

Hi all,

I stumbled apon this forum while searching google for advice. Apologies for long post but I want to tell the whole story.

I play football (soccer) in Scotland. 6 weeks ago I was training when I went in for a challenge. I was very slightly off balance and at an angle. Both myself and the player I was challenged hit the ball forcefully at exactly the same time, a fifty-fifty challenge. Immediately, I knew something was wrong. Initially, I was convinced that my right ankle was broken as the pain was so intense. A lump immediately appeared over my ankle bone and I got an ambulance to hospital where X-rays showed no break or fracture. I was referred to my GP who I saw the next day and he referred me onto to NHS Scotland physio. I was advised of a 6 week + waiting list. At this point, there was bruising (not much) and a lot of swelling.

I decided I didn't want to wait that long for physio so went private to a sports physio. I spent the first two weeks after the injury on crutches as it was very painful to walk. Initially, my physio was quite positive and said around the 6th week, I should be back training at least. I have regular ultrasound on my calcaneofibular, anterior and posterior ligaments. The most damage is to my calcaneofibular as this is most painful. My physio does a lot of work on this ligament which is very painful but seems to help. Physio seemed to be going well and for the first 3 weeks, I noted small improvements in movement and stability etc. But for the past three weeks, there has been no improvement and I feel I'm going backwards a bit. The pain is getting gradually worse and I cannot run at all. I am able to balance on my right foot for about a minute before it gives in and just collapses. I ice my ankle every day for 20 mins every two hours (where possible) and this seemed to help at first, but now it just swells when icing and gets really sore. The only exercise I have done sucessfully is on a bike where I experience no pain. I am able to roll my anlkle perfectly but just can't seem to run or kick a ball. I am so frustrated as want to get back playing ASAP. Not only that but I am due to go to the US on a football scholarship in the summer so my career is also riding on this.

I understand fully that this will not get better overnight and I expected it to take a couple of months to get better but I feel it is only getting worse. I explained my worries to my phyio today and for the first time, he didn't look to optimistic. I asked if I would need surgery and he said probably not, but time will tell if it will heal on it's own or not. My physio is excellent and I trust him 100%.

Any advice or help is much appreciated

Thanks

FG

[lbanser]

All I can say is hopefully by God's grace you will get better soon. My advice would be to stay of the ankle for at least a month then take a month for rehab (rehab probably on the wobbly board thing) I play soccer to and had an ankle subluxation about two months ago. Unfortunately I didn't wait for my ligaments to fully heal instead I got back to playing soccer about two weeks later, now the subluxation hasnt yet fully recovered. Hope all goes well for you and wish you the best.
Take care and God bless.

[durdledoor]

Hi There

I know this is a late reply, but you may get email notification.

All I can say is, I injured my ankle, but it took longer than I expected to get better as well.

Was told I'd be back in 2 weeks at first by the doctor, it ended up taking 3 months.

Keep your chin up

durdledoor

[Footiegirl]

Thanks!

I'm just getting frustrated cos I'm normally such a good healer. Still no change and this has been almost 9 weeks.

It's totally killing me because I cannot run at all, it's too painful. I'm really scared in case this becomes a re-occuring thing, as I said, my football is a career path for me and I really can't see myself doing anything else. My physio seems worried but hasn't really said. He just looks sort of puzzled as to why it is not getting better. I seemed to have stopped healing altogether! I'm icing as much as poss, swelling afterwards. No brusing except for the first couple of weeks. Sometimes it aches a bit, I can walk perfectly and be on my feet for ages without pain. Sometimes it gets sore just doing nothing! I've always been very competitive and I am nervous about going into tackles again. I don't want this to change my game because I was offered a scholarship pre-injury! They don't know anything about it, I was too scared to say in case they knocked me back!

FG

[kjwilkin]

Thanks!

I'm just getting frustrated cos I'm normally such a good healer. Still no change and this has been almost 9 weeks.

It's totally killing me because I cannot run at all, it's too painful. I'm really scared in case this becomes a re-occuring thing, as I said, my football is a career path for me and I really can't see myself doing anything else. My physio seems worried but hasn't really said. He just looks sort of puzzled as to why it is not getting better. I seemed to have stopped healing altogether! I'm icing as much as poss, swelling afterwards. No brusing except for the first couple of weeks. Sometimes it aches a bit, I can walk perfectly and be on my feet for ages without pain. Sometimes it gets sore just doing nothing! I've always been very competitive and I am nervous about going into tackles again. I don't want this to change my game because I was offered a scholarship pre-injury! They don't know anything about it, I was too scared to say in case they knocked me back!

FG

Hi there,

If you're really serious about going to the US for your football scholarship I suggest you go and see a sports physician at Pure Sports Medicine in London. I was a patient there for a couple of years and saw a great sports physician there. Their number is 0870 2000 878. The web address is www.puresportsmed.com They do a lot of medial assessments and support for a lot of the elite sporting teams in the UK as well as treat overseas athletes.

I have suffered chronic ankle instability so know how frustrating it can be. As my ankle wasn't treated properly in the first place I developed chronic recurrent ankle instability and had to undergo ankle reconstructive surgery last year to fix the problem. I am pleased to say that my ankle is really stable now and the best it has been in a long time.

In Melbourne I have a fantastic ankle surgeon called Mark Blackney. He operated on one of the Richmond Footballers (Australian Football League) who wasn't supposed to play again. Fortunately Mark was able to help him and is back playing league football again. I know that one of the sports physicians at Pure Sports Medicine has even referred patients to specialists in Australia as there wasn't really anyone in the UK that could treat them properly.

Let us know how you get on. I'm really interested to know how you get on.

[Footiegirl]

I am serious. I have the offer and have accepted, just waiting to sign the letter of intent and sit my SATs in May. I hope it will be better then!

[kjwilkin]

Hi there,

I think you took my posting the wrong way. What I was trying to say is that if you want to get someone good to look at it and advise on the treatment go and see a sports physician at Pure Sports Medicine in London. Otherwise, they may be able to advise a good clinic in Scotland.

Let us know how you get on.

[Footiegirl]

Oh right, sorry lol! I think I will just continue with my current physio for a few more weeks, going to go for a run tomorrow and see how I get on.

THanks

[netballer]

Don't get upset about it and I know that is easier said than done. Just over two years ago I did a major ankle injury. I was playing netball was running down court to catch a ball and I run onto a defenders foot at full speed. I rolled my ankle that bad that I couldn't even get my shoe on my foot. I was not aloud to weight bear for two weeks and I started physio after that. They said that it would six to eight week min before I could start running again, but at ten weeks after the injury I still was albe to run with getting major pain. I was getting really upset about it because I missed the whole netball seasion with this injury and I had been picked for a summer leauge team that was going away. I kept my upper body string by working out and I went to team trainings so I was still involved with the team.

It was twelve weeks after the injury before I was able to go for a 5 minute run and I was back at fully training eigthteen weeks after the injury. I know this sounds along time, but you have to make sure that your ankle is at least 80-90% better before you start playing again. As I said I know that is easier said than done, but you need to let it heal and if you think that your physio is worried about it talk to them!

[Footiegirl]

Hey,

Thanks for the advice. I've been at physio today and it has been the most painful session yet! A lot of manipulation! I'm going for a scan as suggested by my physio and I'm pleased about it. I want to know exactly what I have done and a scan will show this. I'll let you all know how I get on. Don't have a date yet.

Cheers
FG