hobbling...time out...what has it been like for you?

[happysouls]

I've been running 5K 3 times a week since graduating a few weeks ago gradually inproving speed and adding a bit extra at the end if I've felt inclined. Mostly just trying to get to grips with making it enjoyable and relaxed. However for the last week or so my ankle feels a bit wrong and now I'm hobbling. I've been running 3 times a week and cycling on many of the other days so a rest is overdue. My ankle feels fine when doing that but walking is a problem! I've had gait analysis and my shoes are great, I have a healthy diet so plenty of the right fuel to fix me. I do plenty of mobility exercises for my ankle, warm up, cool down and do stretches after the run. Just sad about taking any time out! I think I'm addicted.

I just wondered what other people have experienced when taking time out for hobbling. How many days off have you had without really losing the ground you've gained? Clearly I have overdone it and need to take this seriously as I'd be really scared of having to stop since it has been such a life changer for me. I'd just like to know how it is for everyone else! I'm an 'older runner' although the inner me protests at that haha!

I'm going to hobble to the supermarket today for a gentle stroll and then maybe rest completely over the weekend and see how it feels after that.

[Irishprincess Graduate10]

Mmmnnnn hobbling is not good. There's clearly a problem with your ankle. Do you run too fast? That could cause a few niggles until you get stronger. Have you had an old injury on your ankle?

It sounds like you need to rest it, ice and do lots of calf stretching. Tight calf muscles can cause inflexible ankles. If there's no change after a week then you should go to a sports physio for a diagnosis. And don't run!

Over the years I've had loads of time off from running, the longest being four months but I got back to it and built up again and again. If running is now part of your life then you should be prepared for likely injuries and time out, that's all part of the package. Patience is a good virtue for us runners 😏

[Dexy5 Graduate10]

Hello happysouls, I had an old ankle injury from before running and my left ankle has less mobility than my right. So I when I was doing the latter stages of c25k it started making itself known. It wasn’t painful when running but ached a bit afterwards. New running shoes didn’t help so I went to see a sports physio who checked it over and gave me specific exercises to overcome this problem, reassured me that it was ok to run after a week of doing the exercises and also said that the weakness in the ankle would have caused problems with my knees if I didn’t do these. So it was money well spent.

I also noticed a difference in my ankle when I didn’t tighten my laces enough. Hobbling doesn’t sound good though so do seek advice.

[Flyingred Graduate10]

When I've had odd things going on in my muscles and skeleton which have caused pain I have visited a chiropractor. He has usually found some imbalances in my posture and after making adjustments I have been fine.

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Oh hobbling isn't good happysouls it does sound like an over use type injury, taking rest days or even a break is just as beneficial .. even a couple of weeks shouldn't affect your conditioning .. saying that there could be an underlying issue that is causing it.

Like others I have had time out with injury and patience really is a virtue.. but I came back, i learnt my lesson if anything I am now extea cautious in building up and take a break.

If it doesn't improve with rest , certainly worth investing in seeing sports physio who will get the bottom of it and set you back on the path with exercises etc and hopefully not too long a break ..

Hopefully it heals soon either way

[ju-ju- Graduate10]

I have had many many times out for injury, and the one thing I have learnt is that when a niggle becomes a pain, it’s usually because it has built up for a while. This can usually be corrected with tweaks in running form and or exercises / rest. This comes from having it assessed by a sports osteo or physio. I have also used Dr Google for the more obvious ailments and followed the exercises. So my suggestion is seek assessment from a running specialist and rest up.

[Pippatong]

I get sore ankles as well. I’ve started to run on grass doing laps of the park when it’s bad. This really helps even though laps are boring. Try changing the running surface to something gentler for a couple of weeks. Have you

[Pippatong in reply to Pippatong]

Oops posted before I’d finished. I run one day then have two days off between each run. Try giving yourself longer recovery time between runs. All this faux advice is based purely on my totally unscientific experience. 😉

[happysouls Graduate10 in reply to Pippatong]

Thank you, I think faux advice and unscientific experience is all I can afford so it is appreciated. I've been thinking I'll rest until it is better and then head for the woods for a gentle scamper that is on softer surface and isn't speed or distance related. In the meantime I'm going to research exercises and good running form!

[mrrun Graduate10]

I ran through pain, not very smart. Twice. First time out for over two months, then over three months, plus bits in between. Then l learned how to look after myself. No running through discomfort, always get to the core of the problem before you hurt yourself.

[Razouski]

I had an Achilles problem when I was bridging to 10km. I think I just pushed myself to far too soon. I had a few weeks rest and did lots of eccentric heel drops. Once it was feeling better I started back running very gently with 3 or 4km runs and giving myself 2 day’s rest between runs.

It soon sorted itself.

I now make sure I do lots of non impact exercise in the gym on some of my rest days.

[happysouls Graduate10]

Thank you to everybody for your words of wisdom! Professional advice is beyond the budget and so for the moment I'll just have to see how it goes. I'm going to rest for a few days or until it feels better, research (and start) more exercises/stretches and find out about better running technique. Then when I resume I'm going to go for a very slow gentle scamper round the woods rather than pavements and avoid any speed/distance targets as that will help me keep more mindful of what my body needs. Thinking about when this started it does coincide with the first day I continued beyond 5K to over 6K then got hit with chronic calf cramp. It is my lazy leg telling me to pay it some attention or else! It most definitely has my attention and I will do whatever I have to in order to keep it happy!