i need a doctor.
alright folks... i have an injury to report.
it is.... my ankle. and it hurts. i've ignored it for long enough... its time to search for a cure.
left ankle. you can't *totally* tell, but the dotted line is where the swelling begins
here's the sitch.
about a month ago i started to notice a sort of bruisey feel on the outside part of my left ankle. i hadn't done anything to it, specifically, so i figured i must have randomly twisted it at some point and that the discomfort would just... go away.
a few weeks later, however... it hadn't. i had my bi-monthly massage coming up... (i know, right?! bi-monthly. sometimes it really does pay to live alone, be single, and have disposable income. remind me of that next time i start complaining that i'm lonely, k!?!)
any-hoo. i talked to Massage Guy, who has magical healing powers that he's put to good use on 0%, and hoped a good working of my ankle, shin, calf, leg type area might... i dunno. fix it.
it didn't.
in the past few weeks its only gotten worse. my range of motion um... SUCKS. its swollen, and the bruise feeling is sort of just... constant.
see? right ankle, fine. left ankle... .no bendy bendy.
so. what have i done to fix it?! nothing.
ice? no.
heat? no.
poke and prod it repeatedly to make sure it still hurts? yes.
yeah. i might not be the model patient. and.. its getting worse. the past week's over-abundance of athletic activity, running, biking, swimming, crossfit... times two... has not been helpful, and today, for the first time, just walking around barefoot even hurts.
i'm at a loss for what to do.
i don't really feel like going to a doctor is necessarily going to get me anywhere. i didn't do anything, it just started hurting. i thought it might be that i needed new running shoes but i bought some and.... no change.
er, well. no change for the better.
K-State Guy suggested maybe it was just an over-use thing, but... that means that i need to just lay off it for a while and... i don't like that idea. i'm enjoying training right now. and what doesn't use feet, ya know!? i'll be relegated to my couch and i'll gain 100 pounds.
that is not an option.
i tried WebMD but all they came up with is a blood clot in my leg, cellulitis, gout, lyme disease, hematoma or pregnancy.
pfffft. yeah right. if i know anything, i know it ain't that.
so, i'm at a loss. i'm taking today off but have rather active plans for the rest of the week and... the ankle doesn't really hurt when i'm doing anything except sitting indian style, so... i can't decide what i should do.
Comments
my recommendation is to goto the doc and get an x-ray. could be a stress fracture or something (of course i hope NOT!)?
better to go see someone and rule it out rather than stressing yourself out worrying.
Posted by: eddie | April 24, 2007 12:23 PM
Repeat after me "I am not a doctor nor do I play one on TV" and go to a Doctor! I assure you it will just get worse based on past history.
I'd also like to point out that if you are a DINK* you only have to pay 1/2 the rent and you have even more money to play with - just saying.
*dual income, no kids
Posted by: 21stCenturyMom | April 24, 2007 12:57 PM
I bet you it's a sprain. (Did you turn in your ankle in the recent past?) I just did that on Friday, and if you stop by my blog I also posted pictures with lines drawn in for swelling. And the no bendy-bendy thing goes along with that, since you'd be stretching the ligament you probably sprained (tore).
That being said, it's been going on for a while for you. So why hasn't it healed properly? Probably because you've been continuing to use it. Rest might helpful. Maybe some physical therapy. Maybe you need a doctor to look at it after all...
Posted by: Danny | April 24, 2007 01:24 PM
i think you got it right with the title.
make it happen!
Posted by: bold | April 24, 2007 01:30 PM
Ditto. Go see a doctor before it gets worse and we won't be able to enjoy your hilarious…umm I mean inspiring training adventures.
;)
Take care of Yo-self!
Posted by: Patrick | April 24, 2007 01:35 PM
Hmmm...i actually have been able to train through my sprained ankles. No soccer. But yes running, yes cycling (at the time I didn't have clip-in pedals which might aggravate things as you clip in and out), and yes swimming w/ a pull buoy. All of the YES activities mentioned above don't require side to side movements so it was okay. Not that I thought an 8 mile run was necessarilty GOOD, i just didn't think it was HUGELY harmful. It still hurt a bit so after working out I would either stick my feet in the icy ocean (was on vacation) or in a bucket/pot of ice in my apartment.
BEware though, and to state the obvious, if you retwist it while it's still healing you'll be worse off (and it will hurt!) However, since I hurt my ankle stepping off of a sidewalk while at school I figured I was no more accident prone running.
But do be careful! Feel better toots!
Posted by: Audrey | April 24, 2007 02:00 PM
As much as I hate doctors, I think its time to pony up the money and get some expensive advice. Maybe the x-rays will tell you something.
Hope it heals up soon!
Posted by: Jon (was) in Michigan | April 24, 2007 06:40 PM
I vote for a Doc. Ask your fellow athletes for a recommendation - some doctors are as sedentary as the general population and don't understand an active person's need to get back to the grind as soon as possible. If you go to a fellow athlete, you'll be more apt to trust (a.k.a. follow) his/her advice.
Get better. Injuries suck.
Posted by: Larissa | April 24, 2007 07:53 PM
Go. To. The. Doctor. Case closed.
:)
Posted by: jeanne | April 25, 2007 07:04 AM
Yep, I agree...go to a dr. Pronto.
Posted by: txrunnergirl | April 25, 2007 07:29 AM
Only because it just happened to my brother recently. You might have a non cancerous tumor that developed and is restricting the movement of the ligaments and tendons. My bro didn't do anything for 8 months, finally had it removed an has been in a cast for the past month and change.
It could also be a gussarian (sp) cyst. aka Bible Cyst
Posted by: Wrenching Winz | April 25, 2007 07:37 AM
You haven't been on any long sea voyages devoid of proper nutrition, lately, have you? If not, we'll stick with more likely cases.
First, I agree. Go to the doctor. If nothing else, they'll say you're fine. That allows you to continue to train while injured. "Doc's note says I'm fine."
Second, RICE. Sorry, that's about all you're going to get. Even from the doctor (assuming no actual break or such injury). Rest. Ice. Compression. Elevation.
Just stop eating all the ice cream and bonbons while recovering, and you'll only gain 50 pounds.
Posted by: Iron Pol | April 25, 2007 09:22 AM
I am with the rest of the peanut gallery. See the doc!
Posted by: Denise "Firefly" | April 25, 2007 07:39 PM
I wonder if it could be an issue with your peroneal tendon down there? It's not uncommon to have an extra bone that rubs against the tendon and irritates the living daylights out of it.
Rest and a foot brace might help? Then again...I'm no doctor.
Take it easy!
Posted by: RunningJayhawk | April 25, 2007 10:35 PM
Medic!!! (Ideally a sports medicine medic at that.)
Posted by: Wendy | April 26, 2007 04:54 AM