Weakness in an ankle dislocated 33 years ago. Anybody had anything like this?

[Globalti]

I dislocated my left ankle about 33 years ago in a climbing fall and ever since then it has been weak and prone to spraining thanks to the stretching of the ligaments etc.

Last summer it began to feel weak in the mornings especially after a good bike ride the day before. Wobble board exercise sorted it out and it's been fine for months.

Last weekend after 2 weeks without cycling we managed a couple of rides and this morning the ankle just gave way when I got out of bed. There's no pain but it simply refuses to bear any weight. A minute or two after starting to walk around it's fine again for the rest of the day. I should add that my fitness comes 100% from cycling, a sport in which the ankle ligaments get no stress as the foot is rigidly attached to the pedal. I've dug out the wobble board and I hope to do some country walks in the Xmas break so as to strengthen the supporting structures.

Anybody got any idea what's going on? Why does cycling seem to provoke this weakness?

 

[vickster]

Arthritis? See a dr if it continues. Wear a support in the meantime?

 

[Globalti]

Thanks. I don't need a support because once I've reached the bottom of the stairs the ankle is working properly again. The first time this happened a few wobble board sessions sorted it out but I'm baffled as to why it seems to happen only after cycling.

 

[vickster]

Maybe get assessed by a Physio? Probably tightness somewhere higher up the chain. My tight calves and dodgy knee play havoc with my ankle

 

[kingrollo]

Could you saddle bit a tad on the high side - overusing those liggy's at full stretch. as others have said physio and bike fit would be your first ports of call.

 

[Globalti]

If that was the case the weakness would be the same both sides. This is only in the left ankle, which I dislocated.

 

[kingrollo]

If that was the case the weakness would be the same both sides. This is only in the left ankle, which I dislocated.

True - but if you [the OP] had an existing injury on one side it may take less to aggravate it.

 

[vickster]

True - but if the OP had an existing injury on one side it may take less to aggravate it.

You are quoting the OP

 

[coldash]

Years ago I broke my scaphoid and it still gives me gyp when it is cold. Even longer ago, I had an Achilles' tendon problem and when I start to increase my mileage too quickly after a winter of not doing much that gives me severe gyp

 

[screenman]

I had a bit of pain from the ankle below my arthritic right knee, the Essax saddle has helped me with alignment which I think was making the problem worse.

But and a big butt, hip flexors I was amazed how much more flexible my left is compared with my right one. So plenty of work on the foam roller strteching the tight bits and things are improving. Some say it is down to my age, come off it I am only 60 not 160.

To sum things up, pains in your ankle could be starting from misalignment elsewhere.

 

[ufkacbln]

Thanks. I don't need a support because once I've reached the bottom of the stairs the ankle is working properly again. The first time this happened a few wobble board sessions sorted it out but I'm baffled as to why it seems to happen only after cycling.

Move to a Bungalow?

More seriously, there are often changes after an injury that are not noticed until arthritis, or other joint issues develop over the years

I have a dodgy hip after a mountain bike accident (fractured hip / pelvis) some 20 years ago, and it is only over the last couple of years are that I have had issues with the hip and associated knee issues

 

[dbeattie]

I think wobble boards teach you the wrong thing. When do you land on an unstable surface? Not very often. IMO unstable ankles need to be trained to resist an unstable load on a stable surface. So single leg balance exercises, single leg deadlifts, progressing to jumping and landing all on a stable surface and with bare feet if possible.
Wobble boards slow down reactions to ground contact.
Progressions:
Slow to fast
Two feet to one foot
Stable load to unstable load
Even surface to uneven surface

Going barefooted and doing some intrinsic foot strength exercises, along with all the mobility stuff mentioned might help too.