UKC

So a new injury for me this weekend. Got up very early sunday for a long run and within 50 yards of my front door I started to get a sharp pain along the inner side of my ankle just behind the bony protrusion as my foot hit the ground. The road surface was slightly off camber meaning my ankle was slightly under pronating as it struck the ground.

It didn't improve over the next few hundred yards even thought the road surface had flattened out. I stopped and walked home (walking is pain free) feeling rather depressed. As I tried jogging again the pain was there again.

I have a half marathon looming in less than 3 weeks. Will rest and ice but will it take a while to clear up? Anyone with any experience of this injury? Thx

In reply to Bjartur i Sumarhus:
As a previous sufferer. Go and see a decent sports physio. It might not be TP pain; other injuries in this area include sciatica and stress fractures.

If TP, possible causes include flat feet, shoes that allow you to slip around when on rough ground, and rocky/rough trails or cobbled streets. Have you recently changed your shoes?

The most common stretch is like a soleus stretch - leaning into a wall with your knee bent, heel down, but by moving the knee medially you will feel the stretch down the inner part of the foot.

Remember with a recent injury not to test it too much and do RICE, PRICE or POLICE (Taping does a fair job in my experience.)

HTH SS

In reply to Bjartur i Sumarhus:

I noticed a niggle in my inner ankle about 12-18 months ago. Ignored it and carried on running. Sometimes it was painful but most of the time it was manageable.

About 2 months ago it got to the stage where immediately after a run the pain was quite strong. But what was most concerning is that it was especially bad first thing in the morning.

I went to see a physio and was given some exercises. I didn't really give them a chance as I had 2 weeks in the alps which I'm just back from.

This has really put me back and the problem has definitely got worse. The pain is now quite severe and shooting when weight is applied to the foot at the correct angle.

Everything I've read online about this injury says not to run through it due to the risk of creating a flat foot.

I don't have a solution but hopefully strengthening the ankle/tendon will be enough to make a recovery. There are quite a few detailed articles published online but no definitive fix from what I can see.

Very frustrating.

In reply to EuanM:

Thx for the replies. I am going to see a physio tomorrow to see what they think. Hopefully I can manage this easily as I have only twanged it once and haven't run since. Possibly need to look at my running shoes and some orthotic inserts.

In reply to EuanM:

It's really tricky to get good information on this, usually for tendinosis/tendinopathy some loading is a good thing. It just seems very difficult to get consistent information even amongst physios I have seen. A podcast on runner's connect was quite informative as well as their written blog. Many other web pages talked about completely collapsed feet which was not that useful although VERY worrying.

https://runnersconnect.net/running-interviews/dr-nick-campitelli/
https://runnersconnect.net/running-injury-prevention/posterior-tibial-tendo...

HTH S

P.S. I found massaging the trigger point for this muscle very useful early on (although very tricky to get at even with the physio's instructions!

In reply to Bjartur i Sumarhus:

I'm working through this problem at the moment; as others have commented, go and see a physio, but if it is tendon related the recommendation & evidence seems to be a 12 week programme of eccentric heel raises, plus dynamic balance work (great for amusing the kids as well). Seems to be mixed views on stretching, but little evidence to support. Good luck.

In reply to elljones:
I have had two physio appointments. She has me doing the heel raises, plus some work with a stretchy band. The tendon is painful to press but now isn't sore under load. She said i could go for a short run to see how I was getting on, but only after rolling on my upper thigh, rolling my inner calf and being warmed up. I did this yesterday and managed only about 1km before i started to feel it, so immediately started walking. Will give it another week of rest with the exercises and massage and try again.

In reply to Bjartur i Sumarhus:

Do you use an insole with arch support in your running shoes?

In reply to EuanM:

You can do, but it is a little like changing everything and you often need to buy a nice wide and deep neutral shoe, which may have not been your type before. I ran short distances with insoles and built up the distance, but with quite a lot of aches and pains elsewhere along the way! I would like to think I can ditch them eventually, but the process of removal doesn't appeal although I still run without them from time to time.

If you are on your feet at work then insoles may be best employed there whilst not having to relearn to run with insoles. I would quiz your physio, although views appear to be polarised in that discipline. HTH SS

In reply to EuanM:

I did buy some for relief whilst walking around for a few days after the injury. My physio took a look at my gait with them in my shoes and recommended I stopped using them and definitely shouldn't run in them because they made me under pronate (?) and would cause issues elsewhere.

I have been using a hand held calf roller to massage the tibialis muscle, stretching and some strengthening. Slow process though!