Query regarding human ankles

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WishfulThinker

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Ok, well I have 'funny' ankles - Right one never been 100% since break nearly 3 years ago, left one always been weak.
Usually they can hurt when riding in jumping length.

Well last night I had a jumping lesson and as the fences are getting bigger and wider I've gone up a few holes to get out the saddle more.
Ankles of course begin to hurt but I persevere, and ride through it thinking it will do more good than harm - well - I am coming up to a jump, I have my leg on then all of a sudden I cant feel my ankles/feet - mainly the left one.
Now this has kinda happened before, but that time my ankle buckled and I almost came off. This time my ankle stayed in the right position, my leg didn't move and I stayed on - and went on to jump well the rest of the lesson - but, I couldn't/didn't feel that I was able to use my left leg as well - even though it was then turning right I had problems with.

No pain in it after lesson, or last night or today. So should I just ignore it? The only thing that has changed since last time it went is my stirrups, i now have though tuff plastic ones, before it was flexi ones (not good if you have weak ankles!!). These new ones are stuck to my feet like glue! I love them!
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I do force the weight through my toes a lot!! But the other day I was schooling with long stirrups and suddenly realized that it felt different - but good, and that my ankles were absorbing the movement and i wasn't fixing them and so making me bounce so in turn my back didn't get sore and I didn't tense up.

I've tried ankle supports and only got big blisters
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Have had the same proplem in the past when i damaged the ligaments in my left ankle. In the end I sarted to hack out in my show jump length stirrups to stregthen my ankles. Seemed to do the trick as i don't have any trouble now.
 
Hmm, might try that. Also other difference is that I used to walk everywhere, now I drive to work then to stables then home. I don't do much walking at all, and it seems I can either do LOADS of walking and ride crap or no walking and ride well - they can't take both.
Also not been XC biking in months so I had assumed my ankles would be worse.

I need bionic limbs!
 
ok so i don't pretend to have all the answers but i am an osteopath so hopefully can shed some light for you.
it sounds like you are what we call 'hypermobile' this means your ligaments are just a little longer than ideal, can be caused by an ankle sprain or just how you are born. this means that when your joints move they are less supported than 'normal' and thus tend to 'flap about a bit' and become unstable. as you've said you're not walking so much which could be the answer, since the ligamenst are less supportive you need your muscles to do more support then usual so by strengthening those around your ankle you will create more stability and be less prone to damage. the fact you couldn't feel your foot suggests that the blood/nerve supply was temporarily interrupted nothing too damaging so long as its only short periods of time at any one go.
I suggest you try strengthening the muscles of your lower leg, raising onto tiptoe 10-20x, rolling onto heals 10-20x. if you wantyed you could try the local gym and ask them to help you strengethen those areas.

hope that helps, that'll be £35 please!!!!!!!!!!
 
Ahh, see Lizzie that makes sense as I do remember being told once i had Collapsed Ankles - my dad was walking behind me and noticed that my toes and outer side of foot kinda flopped forwards/down when I walked - and I have apparently dislocated my ankle a few times, which all stopped once I hit puberty it seems.
My shoes are more worn on the outside edges though.
I've been doing calf raises randomly around the yard cos we have a few ledges so when speaking to folk i am usually messing abotu doing that. Will keep it up though.
 
I broke my right ankle (a very drunk holiday in Falaraki - need I say anymore?!!) very badly 10 years ago and find that by about 3 pm out hunting it is pure agony and I have to let my stirrups down a few holes. It will be fine as soon as I get off but its the riding so short that does it.
 
You could always see your doc and get a referral to a physio. Hopefully your ankle will be fine but there are lots of things they can try - shoe inserts, special exercises etc. I had a wrecked ankle (long story) and they taped it to help the ligaments heal - it worked a treat until I became allergic to the tape and lost half the skin! Oops!
But do try and sort it sooner rather than later - I delayed getting proper treatment, trying to "tough it out" and am now limited to hacking, probably permanently, as a result.
 
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