just today i twisted my ankle as i was running, and for a few minutes the pain was intense... but now it's almost gone. the times when it really hurts are occasionally while walking, when i put all my weight on my left leg, and when i twist my foot around.
do you think i should go swimming today or just sit it out? i have a meet coming up and there will be no practice for 3 days this week/nxt week due to a holiday... advice please!
I'd swim if I were you. I've hobbled in on crutches with a stress fracture in the ankle to swim. I've swum with sprained ankles too. Just go easy on the kicking and be careful on the turns and pushoffs. Ice and elevate the ankle after. Good luck at your meet.
In addition to being careful on the turns, pushoffs and kicking, I would only add that breaststroke might be out of the question. But then it usually is for me anyway.
With ankle sprains, I am of the mindset that the less you do on your ankle, the worse off you are. I take the phrase "Walk it off" quite literally. The reason being that if you get crutches, don't walk on it, etc., you're letting all the muscles atrophy and weakening your ankle.
By "walking it off," you're still using those muscles, tendons, etc., the blood is still flowing through, and most importantly, you're also stretching it out. Granted this hurts more. :violin: But I think in the end, it helps to be more mobile.
Here's a broken bone case study of me:
2004 - break right wrist (scaphoid). Short arm cast. Took 1 week out of the pool, was back in for 5 weeks doing mostly kicking. Got a new cast, another week off. 2 weeks 50% kicking and 50% halfheartedly swimming, 4 weeks swimming like normal. 13 weeks total.
2005 - break left wrist (scaphoid). Long arm cast for 4 weeks. Only swam ~2000m during this time, all at LCM Nationals (warmed up 2x to test it, then the 50 & 100 frees). Short arm cast after 4 weeks. Did mostly legwork for the next 4 weeks, 50/50 for 6 weeks, normal swim for 1 week. 15 weeks total.
took the most time off in 2005.
had more serious, less mobile castwork in 2005.
had longer cast time in 2005.
which wrist still hurts periodically & randomly today?
Left.
:violin: :whiteflag:
