Riding again after doing ligaments in your ankle

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Stenners

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I did the ligaments/sprained my ankle 6 weeks ago - not sure which! (i did get checked over by St Johns Ambulance!) I did a fun ride and survived the ride but then walked off the trailer ramp before loading, into a pot hole and my ankle when pop - I honestly thought I'd snapped it! I've always been able to weight bare without pain - it's just been stiff etc and twingy and swollen! I tried riding a week later - not the best idea I ever had! So decided as I was going on holiday in a few weeks i'd wait until i was back. So I spent weeks hobbling around the yard in an ankle support at snails pace in boots or trainers and then went on holiday in flip flops for a week! I've come back and now riding - it's much much better now I have my proper mountain horse boots back on but still wouldn't ride much more than 40 minutes and only in walk and it still pulls a bit. I'm desperate to be able to trot but its still not quite ready for that! Any tips?! I've been balancing on one floor and just started using bottom step of stairs to act like i'm in the stirrup to try and help and stretch it! I've ridden 3 days in a row so its a little stiff today! I've only just in the last week been able to go downstairs properly! So frustrating!
 
I would, if you can afford it, recommend a couple of sessions with someone like Equimech, a lovely biomechs trainer in NI who could work with you online (she has some free YT classes but I think you'd need a personalised aproach, I also recommend Pilates at Blue House, a similar coach based Teesside). If you can't then I'd be looking for videos on YT for specific ankle mobilisations and strengthening.

A wide foot bed and the right orientation (offsets of the footbed and/or the eye at the top depending on how your leg wraps around the horse) would be top of my recommendations in terms of stirrups, hinged stirrups at the bottom as they only encourage the ankle to stiffen.
 
I had pretty much all the ligaments and tendons in one ankle ripped after a car collided with me when I was cycling. I was non- weight bearing for about a month. When I started riding again I was most comfortable with either no stirrups or ridiculously long stirrups. On the upside you’ll get really good at sitting trot! Or skip trot entirely for now and just work in walk and canter? I was given various exercises by the physio at the time to improve strength; if you haven’t seen someone it’s probably well worth it, either NHS or private.

Other than that though it’s irritatingly just give it time, soft tissue damage tends to 90% heal fairly quickly but the remaining 10% can take ages. Even now (almost 20 years later) I still prefer to ride long and my ankle stiffens if I ride at jumping length for a protracted period.
 
sbloom said:
I would, if you can afford it, recommend a couple of sessions with someone like Equimech, a lovely biomechs trainer in NI who could work with you online (she has some free YT classes but I think you'd need a personalised aproach, I also recommend Pilates at Blue House, a similar coach based Teesside). If you can't then I'd be looking for videos on YT for specific ankle mobilisations and strengthening.

A wide foot bed and the right orientation (offsets of the footbed and/or the eye at the top depending on how your leg wraps around the horse) would be top of my recommendations in terms of stirrups, hinged stirrups at the bottom as they only encourage the ankle to stiffen.
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Oh I do have some other stirrups I could try actually. I am in the Le Mieux Vector ones at the moment but I wonder if I try my Bow Balance ones that may help me move my foot a little more.
 
Malibu_Stacy said:
I had pretty much all the ligaments and tendons in one ankle ripped after a car collided with me when I was cycling. I was non- weight bearing for about a month. When I started riding again I was most comfortable with either no stirrups or ridiculously long stirrups. On the upside you’ll get really good at sitting trot! Or skip trot entirely for now and just work in walk and canter? I was given various exercises by the physio at the time to improve strength; if you haven’t seen someone it’s probably well worth it, either NHS or private.

Other than that though it’s irritatingly just give it time, soft tissue damage tends to 90% heal fairly quickly but the remaining 10% can take ages. Even now (almost 20 years later) I still prefer to ride long and my ankle stiffens if I ride at jumping length for a protracted period.
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I think at the moment I'm just going to walk! We don't tend to school at home so no canter for me at the moment either! My partners Mum was a physio so she's given me some exercises to do but it doesn't really hurt day to day now but does when I ride which is very annoying!
 
I found kinesiology tape really helped but you'd probably need a physio to help show you how to tape it up the first time and also the acavallo opera stirrups were good as they don't cause any twist on the ankle and provide more support with a wider stirrup tread.

I hadn't realised how badly I'd injured my ankle so was back riding the day after I did it and then kept riding throughout, just didn't jump. The ankle gradually strengthened up until it was back to normal. My horse is well behaved though and I didn't have to worry about any spins or acrobatics.
 
Rotate your ankle regularly….point your toes down ballerina style and then bring up to point to ceiling and then work up to lifting yourself on tip toes…or rather onto the ball of your foot with heels raised the lowered. It’s a blummin slow process but will help.
 
If you have been using it with a support as it has healed (so have kept it moving), it is less likely to be stiff due to healing in one position and more likely to be not quite better yet. Keep the support on, downgrade to a tubigrip when the support is no longer fully necessary, and ride without stirrups/with very long stirrups until then. Walk, sitting trot and canter are very much stirrup optional gaits.
 
Stenners said:
Oh I do have some other stirrups I could try actually. I am in the Le Mieux Vector ones at the moment but I wonder if I try my Bow Balance ones that may help me move my foot a little more.
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Bow Balance have hinges, I'd not recommend them. I love this simple diagram, the ankle is designed to be flexible as the ground is solid, add hinged stirrups and suddenly the "ground" is mobile, the ankle has to stabilise and then the knee has to be mobile. In some instances this can keep going up the body causing all sorts of compensations.

For someone with no mobilty at all in the ankle then maybe a physio etc (above my pay grade!) could argue a hinge is a good thing, but for now I'd not go that way.

stable-mobile zones human body.JPG
 
Strap them up within an inch of their lives with tape before putting your boots on. I have to ride with my feet right in to the instep because it is painful to ride in a way that flexes the ankles, especially the left one. Sorry to be a downer but it's been about 15 years 😕
 
@Stenners sorry to hear about your ankle, they can take a while to get back to normal. As you heard a pop, that is a sign that you probably had a complete tear somewhere so recovery will be slow. I really echo what someone else said that you need to be seen face to face by a physio, ideally a sports one who can do an assessment and provide specific advice about riding (for context, I am a physio but not MSK).
Sensible suggestions above about riding long and without stirrups, if your horse is OK to do this on. I'd recommend balance exercises (off the horse), start with single leg stand then introduce an unstable surface to stand on. This is good to strengthen around the ankle.
It really is frustrating but important you take it slow. I fractured my ankle about 8 years ago, had an op on it 6 years ago, have just started riding after a 20+ years sabbatical and my ankle hurts after approx. 20 mins trotting (is completely fine the rest of the time)- so I am introducing more balance work into my exercise programme.
Good luck. You will get there, just take your time and listen to your body. If it is stiff now, you may have to slow down a little.
 
sbloom said:
Bow Balance have hinges, I'd not recommend them. I love this simple diagram, the ankle is designed to be flexible as the ground is solid, add hinged stirrups and suddenly the "ground" is mobile, the ankle has to stabilise and then the knee has to be mobile. In some instances this can keep going up the body causing all sorts of compensations.

For someone with no mobilty at all in the ankle then maybe a physio etc (above my pay grade!) could argue a hinge is a good thing, but for now I'd not go that way.

View attachment 163402
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That image is interesting, I find it curious that the thoracic spine is labelled as 'mobility' when it has a limited range of movement compared to the rest of the spine. Obviously it's important that it still remains mobile, like all areas, but it's just interesting that it is labelled like that. I'm not saying it's wrong, because I'm not sure of the original context.
 
Candid8 said:
That image is interesting, I find it curious that the thoracic spine is labelled as 'mobility' when it has a limited range of movement compared to the rest of the spine. Obviously it's important that it still remains mobile, like all areas, but it's just interesting that it is labelled like that. I'm not saying it's wrong, because I'm not sure of the original context.
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It's all relative, if the thoracic spine can't absorb movement and is immobile then hands and/or neck will bounce.
 
When I did mine, I rode for a bit with my foot further through the stirrup than you should (obviously I had proper footwear on so my foot couldn’t go all the way through) as it meant I could still rise to the trot etc and I didn’t strain it more by having to push my heel down.
 
Also was coming here to say tape! I proper did my ankle (in a pot hole walking the horse back to the field) and it was amazing stuff.

I took it off too soon and retweaked it (getting out of the car), so my advice is also amazon a lot of it.

Then find someone to show you how to put it on properly.

It was also 6 months before I could ride without it playing up every so often, jumping was a complete no go for 5 of those, could not deal with the short stirrups.
 
spotty_pony2 said:
When I did mine, I rode for a bit with my foot further through the stirrup than you should (obviously I had proper footwear on so my foot couldn’t go all the way through) as it meant I could still rise to the trot etc and I didn’t strain it more by having to push my heel down.
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I may try this - thank you!
 
I've ridden out today in my Bow Balance stirrups whcih did feel slightly better - until I saw sblooms comments! My le Mieux Vectors just have no movement. I do have Arena Alupro which I could try also if someone recommend these? Walking I'm getting there which little discomfort and di trot a few strides and my horse thought hed canter so we stopped! I maydrop them down a whole too to see if that help.
I've been balancing on one leg but not daily and also standing on the balls of my feet and I try to circle my foot constantly or do the alphabet with it. I think 4 days riding all be it only half an hour has just made it a bit stiff so having a day off tomorrow! Going to start taking some ibuprofen again!

So would you recommend taping just for when I ride? Currently i dont have my support on day to day now - its a tupigrip one but I do wear it when i'm going up to the field and i've stopped wearing it riding as made it feel worse but I guess I could try tape?
 
Stenners said:
I also have the Acavallo Opera - would these be better than the Bow balance?
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If 90 degree offset eyes suit you then yes, some people are better with non offset, or 34 degrees. It's very individual, and, if hinged stirrups really do help, especially short term after an injury or, as I say, with a permanently fixed ankle joint, then I will never say not to use them. Everything has a downside, nothing is perfect, we just have to understand the downsides and to know when something isn't helping or is likely to become unhelpful at some point.
 
I did my ankle badly a few years ago, it’s mostly fine now but it will swell and relapse if I overdo it. The things I’ve found help are:

- Acavallo Opera stirrups - I notice a huge difference riding in any other stirrups, I really struggle
- Tight, proper, riding socks that support the ankle
- Boots with a good ankle support - I ride day to day in ariat short boots with a stiff ankle and chaps, when I compete in my long boots my ankle will play up for a few days afterwards.
 
frankieduck said:
I did my ankle badly a few years ago, it’s mostly fine now but it will swell and relapse if I overdo it. The things I’ve found help are:

- Acavallo Opera stirrups - I notice a huge difference riding in any other stirrups, I really struggle
- Tight, proper, riding socks that support the ankle
- Boots with a good ankle support - I ride day to day in ariat short boots with a stiff ankle and chaps, when I compete in my long boots my ankle will play up for a few days afterwards.
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Thank you! I have Acavallo Allupro - not sure how these compare but I might try them. I rode with tape on today and definitely much better that without tape! I rode in Ariat boots but not jodhpur boots - just the short boots and put some chaps on. My long Mountain Horse Boots probably have more ankle support even though a bit snug so might try them again. I always used to ride in long riding socks but I haven't since doing ankle as had a support on aswell and it was very tight and faffy! I've just had normal ones on so may try and put them back on to see if it helps.
 
TheHairyOne said:
Also was coming here to say tape! I proper did my ankle (in a pot hole walking the horse back to the field) and it was amazing stuff.

I took it off too soon and retweaked it (getting out of the car), so my advice is also amazon a lot of it.

Then find someone to show you how to put it on properly.

It was also 6 months before I could ride without it playing up every so often, jumping was a complete no go for 5 of those, could not deal with the short stirrups.
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How did you tape yours? Any particular way? Did you have tape on daily or just when you rode?
 
Gloi said:
Strap them up within an inch of their lives with tape before putting your boots on. I have to ride with my feet right in to the instep because it is painful to ride in a way that flexes the ankles, especially the left one. Sorry to be a downer but it's been about 15 years 😕
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Any recommendations on the best way to tape?!
 
Stenners said:
Thank you! I have Acavallo Allupro - not sure how these compare but I might try them. I rode with tape on today and definitely much better that without tape! I rode in Ariat boots but not jodhpur boots - just the short boots and put some chaps on. My long Mountain Horse Boots probably have more ankle support even though a bit snug so might try them again. I always used to ride in long riding socks but I haven't since doing ankle as had a support on aswell and it was very tight and faffy! I've just had normal ones on so may try and put them back on to see if it helps.
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These are just little things I've found can make a difference even now 4 years on! If I'm lazy and put normal socks on or ride in the wrong boots I notice my ankle feels really quite sore and weak a few minutes into the ride. I think the important bit with the stirrups is the 'loop' design that means you're ankle isn't always fighting the twist of the stirrup leather, I definitely notice a difference if I hop on someone else's horse with standard stirrups I find my ankle is extremely sore and painful afterwards. It does get better - I did a full day of XC yesterday and my ankle is a bit tender today from riding short for so long but it can stand up to it these days 🙂
 
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