A Turn for the Worse

Ankle sprains are already one of the most common sports injuries, but within obstacle course racing they even more prevalent.  Due to a variety of factors that include uneven or slippery terrain, lack of experience running with heavier-than-normal shoes, or just simple exhaustion, a sprained ankle is something most racers have experienced at one time or another.

My own history with ankle sprains goes back 20 years to the days when I would routinely roll an ankle playing basketball.  As was typical for my age I could recover sufficiently from a mild sprain to get myself back on the court in a week’s time or less. Of course, in my twenties I considered myself “recovered” if I could get a shoe on and walk without crutches. Each time I turned an ankle I simply considered it bad luck—not recognizing that my poor rehabilitation and recovery  from the preceding sprain was contributing to the next one.

Fast forward to my early forties when I experienced a particularly gruesome ankle sprain during Taekwondo training.  I hopped to my feet and hopelessly tried to walk it off but found that my ankle had a total lack of stability.  I expected pain while turning or twisting but was completely surprised by my inability to even stand-up straight.

It was during this lengthy rehab when I first learned about proprioception.  Proprioceptors are receptors which give us a sense of where we are in space.  Stand on one foot for several seconds and feel the many tiny adjustments your ankles will make to keep you upright.  Without your proprioceptors providing feedback to your brain, this delicately orchestrated firing and relaxing of muscles simply does not occur properly.  The good news is that you can re-train your proprioceptors or even strengthen that feedback loop to prevent injuries from occurring in the first place.

Be sure to rely on your doctor’s expertise and get past the initial pain and swelling (R.I.C.E.) before you start thinking about rehab and a return to regular activity.  I am no doctor. When you see your doctor, you will likely learn about the following ankle rehab subjects:

REHABILITATION

• Balance. Get a balance board / wobble board. It is my favorite rehab tool.   You can also just stand on one leg for 15 seconds (increasing the duration as you get stronger).  Add in bends (at the knee) to touch the floor.
• Flexibility.  Ankles tend to get stiff after a sprain.  My Achilles was especially tight.  Try spelling out the alphabet with your big toe with your foot off the ground or just rotating your foot in big slow circles. 
• Strength. You’ll eventually want to ease yourself back into some careful jumping.  First on a flat surface, jumping forward and back.  Then add in sideways jumps.  Eventually also hopping on one foot.

PREVENTION

Since our subconscious successfully manages our balance so well we do not often think about trying to get better at it.  Or, if we do think about balance, then it is probably in the context of trying to complete a particular obstacle at our next race.  However, we rarely think of it as a basic building block for everything we do.  Incorporating balance exercises into our training will make each step more confident and secure and help keep us from injury.  Consider also that your proprioceptors are going to be working hard with each step throughout your next Tough Mudder or Spartan Race.  If you have only been running on a treadmill or on pavement you are risking injury.  Get out there and experience some of the same crazy terrain you will face on race day.