Outside ankle pain for 2 days after running

[Ninipk6]

Hello all! This is my first post and I’d just like to preface it by saying that this seems like such an encouraging, nice community.

I completed couch to 5k about 10 days ago, and since then I’ve done 4 5k’s. I’m 22 and had been slightly fit before (could run 20 mins on treadmill without stopping) so I skipped to week 6, bcos I didn’t want to lose stamina by starting at week 1. I also skipped week 8 as I didn’t time myself properly and accidentally ended up doing 30, so just continued. However since my run on Friday I’ve had ankle pain on the outside of my right ankle. I think I remember slightly twisting it but nothing major, didn’t hurt until a few hours after. I know I have weak ankles and they have a tendency to roll over when walking, but does anyone have any recommendations for ankle exercises? Also should I continue running on it, as felt slightly painful putting weight on it yesterday but now (Sunday eve) only slight tinge of pain when I walk? Thank you so much!

[AlMorr Ambassador Graduate]

Never run with a injury, everyone doing the C25K course should keep to the program, do I detect a few short cuts when you were doing it?

If you ran 3/30 minute runs of week 9 you can tell the administrators that you have graduated from C25K, if not, redo weeks 7,8 and 9 AFTER your ankle injury heals.

[Oldfloss Administrator Graduate in reply to AlMorr]

To graduate we need to have completed all the weeks from 1 through to nine.. Al...

[AlMorr Ambassador Graduate in reply to Oldfloss]

You are quite right Floss, I should have told him to do the whole course, not just the longer runs.

[Oldfloss Administrator Graduate]

I am assuming you completed the nine weeks of C25K first... or did you go from 1 straight to 6 .. and then just did week 8? Because, despite our fitness levels, building up to the 30 minute runs is a steady and well planned process. It gets us where we want to be, without injury.

There are ankle exercises linked on the Strength and Flex forum...and when that ankle is feeling better, maybe think about doing the C25K plan again and taking it gently

healthunlocked.com/strength......

healthunlocked.com/couchto5...

[IannodaTruffe Mentor]

Ankles can take quite a long time to heal.

Keep them mobile but minimise loading, so no running.

Cycling is generally good for ankles, keeping them moving, improving blood flow but without load.

We are all capable of doing way more than our bodies are conditioned to do, but not without increasing our injury risk. Sticking to gently progressive training plans is the safest way to push our limits, whilst gently increasing our resistance to injury.

This post explains the basics of how our bodies develop and adapt to the stresses of running. healthunlocked.com/couchto5...

Doing too much too soon is an unfortunately common theme on this forum and a stock phrase for physios consulting with new runners.

This guide to C25k healthunlocked.com/couchto5... has links to the NHS Sports Injuries page which gives basic info.

Take care.