All things ankle related (turns, twists, sprains etc)

[paige]

Thanks for that, it was very reassuring to hear:

the therapist said that she'd never seen ankles that went so far, especially pointing my toes, but also flexing them back

.

Yes this is what this physio made me do point my toes and flex my feet. I would be very interested to hear what exercises you were given, and to tell you what exercises I was given. Mods can we do this?

[paw]

No one has measured my mobility in the way you describe. Recently I showed my doctor (GP) how my feet/ankles bend. My toes can touch each other and make a nearly straight line with the heels pointing out. I can also make a straight line with the heels together and the toes pointing out. I think I can go further on this one, but I don't try.

When the doctor saw my toes together like that she was shocked, said "Don't do that!" and asked if I needed more pain meds.... The whole point in showing her was because exercises I was told to do by another doctor were making my ankles turn in WAY too much. It hurts if I am weight bearing, but not if I am not putting weight on it. I stopped the exercises after just one session because they would harm me.

My feet can be pushed together quite a bit if you squeeze the metatarsal head areas (below the toes) together and all the toes are hypermobile. Yup, I am bendy.

[Retro]

Paige,

Yes you can describe excercises here but they will have a disclaimer put on them that they have been prescribed for an individual and we are all different so should seek medical help before trying anything

Lindsey

[lucienh]

Disclaimer here -- these are some of the exercises that the PT recommended for me. As we all know, we're even more unique than everyone else, so what helped me may be the worst thing for you (good enough disclaimer?):
-- hip circumduction. On one foot (holding on if nec.), make slow arcs back and forth with the other foot, 10 on each side, supporting knee is not locked. Start with small arcs, build up to wider ones.
-- yoga postures, modified as necessary: warrior I, tree, chair, dancer, doing them slowly for about 5 breaths, holding on if you need to.
-- standing on a balance disk (one of those inflatable things that looks like a whoopie cushion) for a couple of minutes
-- using a 1/2 foam roll (sort of like a swimming pool noodle sliced lengthwise; they gave it to me), various balances on it, either with flat side down or up, either with your feet across it or as though you're balancing on a tightrope.
These were both for strength and to help proprioception/balance. They really helped while I did them (I'm dealing with other stuff now, so these have gone on the back burner for a while).
Good luck!

[paige]

Disclaimer these exercises were part of a program a physio gave me after a fracture caused by my hypermobile ankles and might not be suitable for anyone else.
Thanks very much for those, I am really interested in what exercises others with hypermobile ankles and feet do, makes me feel as if someone else is on then the same planet as me.
Like you, I used to do alot of yoga balances ie. tree , head to knee, letter T, the eagle,
balancing on one leg on a wobble cushion and chucking a ball at the wall and catching it
using lightweights and doing arm exercises balancing on one leg on a wobble cushion
scrunching a newspaper up with one foot then the other
strengthening exercises with a thera band
calf raises and exercises to strengthen my legs to support my joints
then I was diagnosed with scoliosis and told to stop doing all these exercises,
so now I have a program with
calf raises
ankle rotations
putting one bare foot on top of the other foot and lifting the bottom foot with the weight of the top foot pressing down

How do you get on with footwear?

[naama]

I've never had mine measured but have had lots of the 'I've never seen such bendy feet (or other joint)' comments. I started off with very gentle exercises just trying to get me using the correct muscles in my feet, etc. I've never progressed to ankle exercises but I don't turn them over as much as I used to, so maybe they're deemed to be strong enough until proven otherwise! In my experience standing on one leg or standing on a wobble cushion / board is way too much for me.

[lucienh]

The PT told me that the wobble cushion was good for both proprioception and muscle strengthening. If I was doing it for muscle strengthening it was okay to hold on for balance, and if it was for balance/propriooception to just stand there very briefly until I started to fall over (almost immediately) and then build up to longer.
Shoes? Seems like life is a constant battle to find shoes that fit the brace, the orthotic, and oh, yes, my feet. And that don't look like army boots.

[paige]

Hi girlies,

I never even knew about this measuring of the mobility of hypermobile joints I only knew about the Beighton's method. Has this method always been used then or is it a relatively new method? Maybe if I had been measured years ago my arrogant, dismissive gp would not have treated me with such hostile contempt (and acted like I was something very nasty on the sole of her shoe) everytime I had to see her re. all the probs I have with my feet. Bitter moi? .

Shoes? Seems like life is a constant battle to find shoes that fit the brace, the orthotic, and oh, yes, my feet. And that don't look like army boots

Yes it is a battle isn't it? I wear flat childrens' boots because I am a shoe size 2 1/2 and I have a real problem trying to find any that are wide enough for my flat feet.

[paula99]

I had mine measured a few years ago in a univeristy podiatory department in Edinburgh. I had been seeing a physio after the birth of my son (my body was a wreck but I didn't know why!). The physio was a really lovely caring lady who thought I had something really wrong with my feet and referred me to a podiatrist. Not sure why the referral was to the univerisity, but It was really good. I had a load of very keen students who spent their time drawing lines on my legs and ankles, and measuring lots of different angles. Unfortunately, all I managed to get out of them was that my feet and ankles were way too flexible, and then we moved north so I never had my follow-up appointment with them. Since being up in the highlands I have seen a 'proper' podiatrist. I don't remember him drawing or measuring anything, but perhaps with experience precise measurements don't matter so much.

[seasnake]

I dislocated my foot for the first time eight weeks ago - my foot slid off my ankle bone and my partner had to put it back. I have dislocated knees, shoulders etc before but this was totally new and unerving. Am worried it might now keep happening. Wondered if anyone had any experience of this and tips for future management. x

[Willowsmom]

My father and I both hyperpronate and (while none of my doctors has agreed with me in this) I'm sure my HMS is what triggered the lymphedema (primary bilateral lower-extremity; my dad's older brother has it and so did their mother, though my father doesn't) as I've had it (LE) at least since I was 10 and probably longer, although this form generally develops at or after puberty, and I was what's known as a late bloomer. As a very young child I had to sleep in a brace, a steel bar with two little white shoes, one at each end, whose purpose was to straighten my legs, feet and ankles...it doesn't seem to have worked very well! In school we were all required to participate in kicking games in gym class, and one that we played a lot involved kicking a soccer ball around a baseball-shaped field, indoors. I suspect that a lot of that sort of activity finally made some ligaments or other tissues rebel; no doctor or anyone ever suggested that I should limit high-impact activity. Had I done so I'm sure I'd have developed LE anyway, but later and perhaps not as severely.

Anyone else have similar experiences? One thing that makes me draw the connection is that when I wear my really good hiking shoes from LL Bean, the kind that hold the ankles in securely, the swelling is radically reduced. I wonder sometimes if I should wear light ankle braces.

Barbara

[paw]

I wonder sometimes if I should wear light ankle braces.

If you are comfortable in ankle supports or braces and they do something positive for you (reduce swelling or keep you from rolling over on your ankle) then you should try them. Braces for no reason can lead to weaker muscles. Braces that allow us to keep moving actually make the muscles stronger than if we were not able to get out and walk without them. This statement is based on my own experience after my broken ankle.

I had a bad break with 3 breaks in the ankle and one in my lower leg. I had surgery and pins. One pin was removed and a couple remain there now. It was really hard for me to strengthen after the plaster came off. I did not have a long term support prescribed. I ended up buying a spiral lift tubigrip support that helped quite a bit. When I was on it too long it swelled to the point that the support got too tight and it hurt. At that point I needed to get off my feet and take off the tubigrip. I know that I hurt myself often by rolling over (ligaments were all cut) and when I did wear the support I functioned better. I did not know anything about EDS or HMS at that time or I would have handled things better. I wore the tubigrip support for several years when I knew I would do much walking.

I think you should try a few styles of support and see which one helps and then you can decide how often to wear it.

[RαіиbowЅміlex]

Hello,
I have hms in all joints. But for about 5 or 6 months my left ankle has been even more painful. I can hardly move it now, the other 1 is still hypermobile Arthritis runs in our family and everyone seems to have it in their left ankle. Im not sure if i have it not. Im confused im meant to be hypermobile but i can hardly move it. Its so stiff, i'd be greatful for any help thanks, J x

[Willowsmom]

I think that eventually our hypermobile areas wear out sooner and more severely than the same areas do in people who aren't hypermobile. The result is more stiffness, more aches, more pain, more aggravation! It can also mean more eye problems...more dental problems...more jaw problems...more TMJ problems...yuck.

The up side is that we tend to have smooth and therefore very young-looking skin, so we look younger than our age!! It wasn't until my hair started going very gray that I looked even close to my age; until a year or so ago no one thought I was even out of my 40's, and I'm almost 58!

Barbara

[niccarr]

i have had a quick search but cant find anything so sorry if iv missed something. my daughter is 18 months old and has been able to walk for about 6 months but didn't seem to have the confidence to walk alone. we have recently noticed that she is walking on the inside of her foot left one is really bad right is slightly turned in. we brought her first pair of shoes last wk and she keeps screaming when they are done up. she falls over quite a lot and holds her arms against her side as if she is steadying herself. i took her to the health visitor and she said that she is also swinging her leg out while walking. she is sending her to see a physio but i am worried that they will just fob me off that she is fine. has anyone got any advise before i go. does she sound hypermobile as not had any other worries until now.