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

[sandy34]

yesterday on my way to the toilet even thoughn i have on 11 brases and my crutches my son helped me and opened the door and whhoops my ankle gave wayand some how i hit the door and badly hurt my nose and landes on the floor.
today i have a pounding head and a black nose and eyewith pains in my back i just cannot belive my luck.i feel terrible enough with the the joint pain with out this happening .
i feel really sorry for myself today

[Sez]

You poor thing

I had a really bad week when I was 16 - I'll remember it for the rest of my life! I'd been dumped by my long-term boyfriend, failed my art GCSE (it's a long story - I was bad with my legs and was told I could take the exam another day, which I did, then the exam piece and all my coursework "disappeared" and they claimed I never took it ), then had my most annoying relations dumped on me for a few days (I bet we all have a few like those..), then fell over in B&Q and sub-luxed my ankle in a nasty way

I really feel for you, Sandy . As if there's not enough going on for us HMS'ers! Hope you're feeling better soon!

[joluvsf1]

I have been suffering with the ligaments in my ankle for some months now. I saw a physio back in February who said she couldnt make my ankle better until it was stronger as the muscles on the outside of my leg were over stretched and my ankle was 'falling outwards'. I was sent to an ankle class at the hospital gym where i have been working on strenthening my ankle. The guy who runs the gym (not a physio) has just told me to stop coming and he would refer me back to a physio as my ankle is not improving and he feels my joint is too lax and the excercise isnt working. I actually do alot of exercise at the gym and do lots of weights in body pump classes and free weights so am not surprised that they do not believe the problem is because I am not strong enough.

My ankle is constantly tired, with some swelling nearly all of the time. I can do most of my exercise without a problem although I do struggle with keeping my ankle straight in spinning classes sometimes. My biggest problem is with walking, the most simplest of exercises I know, but it really seems to agrivate it.

Does anyone have any idea what is coming next for me? I mean, what im wondering is, will there actually be anything that can be done?

[nonyanomemory]

Hi and welcome to the site, I have briefly read through your previous posts. My daughter who has HEDS as do I was referred to an ankle re-habilitation class with similar results to you and was told that it was exacerbating her problem. Whilst you are actually suffering an acute exacerbation with swelling have you been told to rest the injured ankle. Try asking for a referral to a podiadrist who will be able to assess your gait and feet. Specific advice regarding what exercise is suitable especially with weights should be taken from your physio as over stretching is not too good for those with the syndrome. You don't say whether you have been referred to a rheumatologist for diagnosis which may be helpful in the long run. Good luck and I hope the ankle feels better soon.

nonya

[joluvsf1]

Hi Nonya, thanks for your reply. I havent been told to rest my ankle, I think the physio was probably unsure of telling me to rest as I have recently lost 6 stones in weight through diet and exercise and I still have the same again at least to lose. I spend alot of time at the gym although I am trying to cut it down a bit now. It actually seems that the more weight I lose and the fitter I get the worse my mobility is becoming (becoming more flexible). This is worrying me slightly as it seems like a viscious circle.

I havent seen a podiatrist yet. This surprises me as the physios that I have seen have looked at my feet and said that not only does my ankle fall outwards but that one of my feet is flat and there is evidence of my poor posture/walking on the soles of my feet with uneven wear and hard skin in different places.

As you probably read from my previous posts I have been advised not to stretch after excercise and this does really seem to help my recovery afterwards. Although I recently have found that after my body pump class when I stand up after the cooldown I feel a bit like a thunderbirds puppet where everything feels loose when I walk!

I am going to ask for referrals to a rheunatologist and podiatrist when I get the next physio appointment through ...... I am beginning to wish I'd never seen a physio, its been like opening up a big can of worms ... I'm sure ignorance is bliss sometimes!

[LucyM]

Hi, I suffer the same problem to the point I have actually broken the same offending foot 3 times and dislocate it more often than I can remember. My Rheumi has said there is nothing they can do for me and maybe should look into going the orthopeadic route.... mmmm, I have already been to the podiatrist and do wear special insoles. Other than having an operation there is not much else anyone can do and I am told this may not be the best thing to do..... So at the moment I am grinning and bearing, with the odd comical act of falling over on my face at the most inoppurtune moments...... sorry I couldn't give you a more positive outlook - I do hope they can do more you.

take care
Lucy M

[dawn barlow]

Hi,
I took my 7 year old daughter Yazmin to see a paediatric orthopaedic consultant yesterday, after being referred by my GP. She has been having bad ankle pain for some months now, and her knees are starting to hurt as well, when she walks her feet roll inwards.

We already know that she has EDS (mild) and the doctor said yesterday that her hips are rolling in which is putting her knees and feet out of line. He suggested taking her to do gymnastics or ballett to stretch her legs. We weren't offered any exercises to do at home and wondered if anyone knew of any that we could do. He said that normal PE wont do her any good and if she needs to sit out that she should be allowed too. I have spoke to her teacher who is very co-operative and she asked if there were any stretching exercises she could do in the PE lesson to include everyone.

Just wondered if anyone has any ideas.

Dawn x

[Alison C]

Hello!

The Hypermobility Clinic at GOSH has a specific exercise programme - and can advise re PE and ballet. Can you get a referral to GOSH (Prof Grahame and Dr Hasson, with Sue Maillard - Specialist Physio)?

My 2 year old daughter will be seen for the first time at GOSH in the autumn as I think she has EDS - mild as you say. My son will be reviewed on the same day. I had to ask for special permission to have both seen on the same day as first assessments are carried out on different days from reviews. Maybe you could do the same if your son will go to GOSH instead of UCHL?

Can you ask for a physio to visit your daughter at school in the meantime?
Is your daughter going to have inserts to correct her rolling over of her ankles eg orthotics? Glad school are keen to help.

Cheerio
Alison

[dawn barlow]

Hi Alison,
Thanks for the reply. The Dr. we saw at hospital said he did not want to give her in soles as he thinks she is to young and her feet will become dependent on them. Jordan has them and they do help him. I think i will ask for a referral for her to be seen by prof. Grahame like Jordan does.
I don't want her to end up with ankles as weak as what Jordan's got.

Dawn

[cocol]

Hello,

I used to have hip, knee, ankle and feet problems (well, I still do) When I was growing up my feet were extremely flat and my ankles use to bend 'inwards' and be painful. I was sent to ballet, insoles, special shoes that kept the ankle upright and exercises. I still have flat feet and weak ankles but since I was about 10 I started paying attention how I walk and I manage to not let them 'fall'. Anyway maybe a physio can help, my mom used to massage my feet, with special attention to the arch, and I had to walk for a bit on my toes and then on my heels to try and strenghten ligaments and muscles in my feet. Though that doctor didn't really know I was hypermobile so I don't know if those exercises would really help.

[sillyoldbear]

sorry if this has been talked about before, but couldnt find it if it has

yesterday i did a little walking around one shop, trying to get clothes for my holidays and when i sat down my ankles started to really hurt so i rubbed some lavender into them and expected that it would go away but today they are worse and the stairs is a bit of a problem, does anyone else get this. mind you thinking about it my feet have been kinda wierd lately. like everyone elses my feet just hang and lately when i've tried to draw them back up so they at right angles with my legs the ankle has been painful and its like there was resistance stopping it from being where it should be

sorry have gone on a bit, just wanted to know who else had this type of thing

take care
simone

[jayne]

Hiya, I have a similar thing to what you describe. I get pain in my feet ankles and legs when I walk around for too long I am worse when I stand still. I find going down stairs quite hard as I feel a bit wobbly, and I have to think really hard about where am putting my feet.

I hope the pain has eased off a bit.

[sillyoldbear]

hi jayne

the pain is actually getting worse! and although it hurts like mad when im walking but going from sitting to standing on them is really really awful, i can see like a band going all the way around my ankle and it is even painful to touch. i didnt fall or trip or anything yesterday and was wearing very sensible shoes. its like the pain from a sprain the first instant you do it, you know that really acute pain that can sometimes bring a tear to your eye for the first few seconds, well its like that acute pain but not feeling any easier, like when you trap your finger in a door, that pain, but its not wearing off. am i making sense to anyone?
sorry to moan, feeling rather sorry for myself today, things not gone particularly esp this evening

thanx again jayne

simone

[Guest]

sorry to hear your in pain but i had similar, if not the same pain and i found that those gel insoles(the good ones by dr sholez or whatver) and a ankle splint worked, but i was switching the splint over becuase one would feel better and the other wold start to hurt. try two and the gel insoles i really think the pain will become much more tolerable if it even remains after a couple days.

[Mari]

Hello Simone,

What shoes were you wearing on your trip to the shop? Were they supportive, I wonder? The reason I ask is because I have found that some shoes, even when flat or very low, can ask too much of our feet!

Have you ever been assessed by a podiatrist? It could be that you have 'flat feet' (many of us do) or weak ankles, and an orthotic/ in-sole could help.

Meanwhile I think your ankles need a rest and bit by bit over the next few days hopefully they'll improve. You could have an over-use injury there.

Hope you feel better soon,
Mari