Ankle Pain When Riding.

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Chestnut Stella

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Hey there, I am 14 and have been riding for 9 years and within the last 6 months of riding i have been finding that after about 30 mins of a lesson my ankles get really sore and stiff. The pain starts in one ankle and then later on goes to the other one. It's a horrible pain and has caused me to stop doing rising trot on my horse and just do sitting for the rest of the lesson.
I was wondering wether anyone else gets these pains and if there is anything i can do to stop them.

Thanks x
 
Years ago I fell off a kerb whilst running (oncoming car had his lights on full beam). Since then I can't run, have no 'spring' in the ankle, & have limited feeling in my foot (especially toes) so I can't find a stirrup without looking. Added bonus is ankle ruddy painful & prone to giving out at any time. I can only ride apart from in walk if I strap ankle in vet wrap (never found support srong enough to work). Not much help, & it's been going on for over a decade now so don't think it will improve.
 
Does the pain stop if you take your feet out of the stirrups? is it only in rising trot that the pain happens?

How about in walk/ sitting trot/ canter?
 
The pain doesn't stop but it does help to stretch it after, but as soon as i place it back in the stirrup the pain comes back. It hurts a lot less in sitting trot, walk and canter, but there is still slight pain there. x
 
I can't comment on what could be the cause (except maybe growing pains if there's been no trauma?) but you could try to lengthen your stirrups or try flexi-stirrups to alleviate the pain :)
 
Hi Chestnut Stella, sorry about the ankles. Maybe an obvious question is whether something has changed to cause the ankle pain - different saddle, stirrups, anything? That might explain it. I use Sprenger stirrups which help (but I'm verrrry old) but I note you are 14 so you shouldn't have sore ankles, I shouldn't think?

If there has been no change in horse, tack or anything, maybe talk to your doctor? It may just be one of those things related to growing taller, and you may be going through a growth spurt?
 
At your age (sorry this will sound so mumsy!) you'll be doing a lot of growing/changing.
You'll also be developing emotionally.

My guesses would be that either
- you have 'growing pains' which will stop naturally
- you've grown so that stirrups/saddle etc aren't such a good fit for you as they used to be
- you're putting more pressure on yourself in lessons (so are more tense in the ankle) or
- you're started to wear heels in ordinary life and are feeling the effects!

Depending on casue you may wish to try some of the flexi stirrups but I don't know anything about them! (Supposed to be comfy though...)
 
As a teenager, I used to get ankle pain when riding, and it would progress up the side of my lower leg in a horrendous burning pain.
I was told the relatively fixed position of ankles in riding was the cause, and told to take my feet out of the stirrups and make circles with my feet!

The ankle pain I get now is more about my HMS, a previously broken ankle, and old age, so I use flexi stirrups which help a bit.

Hope you can find a solution to your problem, its such a nuisance. x
 
Ive been seeing a physio for a detached tendon in my ankle, but I also used to get ankle pain in my ankles during riding and after discussing it with my physio she suggested that i stretch out my calves before i ride and it really helped.

Stand facing the wall with one leg forwards and one leg back,toes pointing straight forwards. The leg that is forwards should have your knee bent so your knee and toe are touching the wall,then your other leg is stretching out. You'll feel your calf stretch, hold it for ten seconds change leg and repeat a few times.

Also if you are comfortable riding with longer stirrups try dropping your stirrups 1 or 2 holes as you might find that the angle youre putting your ankle at if you have quite short stirrups is putting strain on your ankles.

I really would recommend stretching and warming up your ankles before riding, try the stretches above, plus rotating your ankles in circles a few times each way. Also, and i know this might sound silly, but standing on one leg is one of the best things you can do to strengthen your ankles - you can do it anywhere, while youre watching tv etc...just hop onto one leg and balance there for a few minutes!

Also in rising trot, try to think of rising from your knee, not your ankle and you might find that youre using your leg/ ankle less so the movement is less and youre not straining it.

I'd try alll the above, but really if the ankle pain is persisting and causing you problems go and see your GP and see if you can get referred to see physiotherapist to give you some professional advice.

Good luck i hope you get is sorted soon:)
 
Try changing your stirrup length once or twice every ride, take feet out of stirrup and circle them,
... and most importantly, keep your ankle / hip / shoulder line so that your "suspension system" is maintained throughout and it is not just the ankles taking all the bounce ...
 
I have terrible ankles, they go pop at the drop of a hat, and although I dont put this down to riding, if i am in the saddle for any decent period of time I really feel it. I did some endurance riding last year (20-40k rides) and found that if i used endurance stirrups (the plasticy ones) I was far more comfortable compared to normal stirrups.

Other than that, I wear a 'sports' ankle support most of the time i ride, which helps too
 
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