Having experienced 4 or 5 ankle sprains on both legs in the past over the years from football and running, since I first sprained my right ankle back in 2002 whilst playing indoor football in sixth form, I tend to understand the severity of the sprains from the pain felt, the swelling and I usually judge the recovery time pretty well due to my past experience with ankle injuries and in particular - sprains. I've had some bad sprains in the past which were grade 2 which is a partial tear and I've had some minor sprains which is usually tissue damage and can sometimes initially look worse than they are due to the swelling. Usually, the bad sprains take a couple of months to recovery really if you rest it well and then build the strength up and don't rush back. I know that after a bad ankle sprain back in 2006 that I sprained playing football turned into a very bad sprain when I played again without letting it recover - that was a mistake I have never made since - the pain was awful - first 50/50 tackle and the ankle just gave way - the pain was awful and I was out for over a month again. I've ran a half marathon before in 2018 with a mild ankle sprain, which initially occurred playing football when my ankle bent back the wrong way getting tangled with an oppositions foot when shooting, and running 13.1 miles with a grade 1 ankle sprain all strapped up was a mistake, let me tell you.
I have digressed a little here, what I am getting at is that I knew straight away when I felt the pain and heard the cracking sound that this was a very bad one and would be a longer recovery time, but did I expect to still not be able to jog or run 5 months later? NO I DID NOT - did wearing a 5K weighted vest on my back when on my training run contribute to the impact of the injury? I believe so !!
So with the bruising and swelling getting worse, I had it assessed and x-rayed at the hospital and they confirmed it's not broken (although I hear that sometimes due to swelling the x-rays don't pick up hairline fractures) which I was very happy to hear at the time.
I was told by the doctor it was a severe sprain but expects me to recovery in 2 or 3 months and be back playing competitive sport. He said to rest it for 2 or 3 weeks then start trying to build the strength back up. I really don't think he knew the severity of the damage caused due to the swelling but that cracking sound / popping sound was my ligaments rupturing or possibly snapping completely which explains the long recovery time and the aching pains and lack of strength I am experiencing. Don't get me wrong, I am walking fine on it and was able to walk well on it after a month, although even now, if I walk more than 6 miles I get aching pains and can feel it the next day in the ligaments and I also experience a shin splints type feeling along my leg up to my knee, which is frustrating and concerning. But 5 months later I have still not managed to get out on a test jog or run.
So my recovery has been frustrating as sometimes I feel like it's almost there and really getting stronger then something pulls me back.
With always keeping myself fit over the years I do tend to recover pretty fast from injuries over the years. Thankfully and touch wood I've never had a major serious injury but I have had several bad and painful injuries but I do tend to recover pretty well.
With this injury, I do believe that wearing the weighted vest contributed to the severity and I will learn from that in the future, it is a risk to injury wearing weights on my back.
First two to three weeks the pain and inability to walk was bad but approaching a month I was able to not only do some light core strength workout sessions but soon after a month and a half I was able to do my indoor bike training as it was low impact on the ankle. I was feeling good that I was getting stronger but I have to admit, any more than 7 or 8 miles on the bike my ligaments would flare up and even now, 5 months on, I struggle with more than 6 or 7 miles on the bike before it feels like it may be causing some damage. I am enjoying my home workouts and my shadow boxing, keeps me ticking over and I entered a few indoor bike fitness challenges over the last few months of 2023.
I can definitely tell 4 months in that it's improving, no doubt, it is getting there but I also genuinely thought I would be back playing sport or atleast running by now.
I was hoping to go on an ankle test run at the back end of January but having started trying out some new trampoline workouts to strengthen my ankle, it's set me back a bit. I'm in no rush really, I've been there, done it and worn the t-shirt so it is what it is, it takes as long as it takes and I don't want to rush it back, especially at my veteran sportsman age (haha).
I am really missing playing my competitive football with the vets team ( Bramhope MFC FC Vets ) and I had an ambition before the injury to reach 950 competitive games, I am frustratingly stuck on 944. I have or had plans to play competitively until I am atleast 40 years old, so it's still an ambition but if this time next year when I am 40, if I am experiencing issues with my ankle, I may call it a day to be honest. Atleast, although it was not planned to be my last game of competitive football but atleast I played pretty well, we won and I made an assist with a left footed cross, nice way to go out if it turns out that it was my last ever competitive game of footy.
Regarding my running and competitive running, although my legs have been shot for a few years now anyway and have not had a PB since my Spen 20 Mile PB of 2:14:13 back in 2016 aged 31, I have been chasing my milestones instead.
My long term ambition is to reach 50 official half marathon races and run 20 Leeds Half Marathon's. I am currently on 37 half marathon's and 15 Leeds Half Marathon's, so I am not too far away. I also plan to run the Ilkley Half Marathon for atleast 5 years, which I have ran 2 years in a row now. So, it is frustrating that I'm so far away from being able to even run a mile at the moment, not because I am not fit enough cardio wise but due to the injury. Haha, I kind of feel so close but so far away.
My plan every year generally now is to run the Leeds Half Marathon in May and then the Ilkley Half Marathon in July and then any other races I may enter are just a bonus. If I am honest, I am not sure my ankle will be in a position to run 13.1 miles by the spring but who knows? In the past I'd have stupidly ran it not 100% and make it worse or cause more damage but I'm older and wiser now. If I can't enter the half marathon's this year then it's not the end of the world, will just hopefully get back on the horse next year.
Regarding the football, even if there are some permanent issues with the ligaments (which there can be with Grade 3 Ankle Sprains) and I give up competitive football, I do want to get back playing recreationally and then start to train my son Oliver.
I want to take my boxing training to the next level too, I mainly do shadow boxing with hand weights and some light boxing drills with my gloves but I'd like to eventually get a proper decent punch bag, I really love boxing for fitness. Soon me and Katie are also going to start taking Oliver swimming regularly so will be good to get some regular lengths in too to keep ticking over and that may also improve my ankle recovery in the water.
I aim to test out my ankle on a short jog (on roads. flat pathways, bridle ways) maybe early to mid February. In all honesty if it's not improving more by mid spring I will possibly go to doctors to see if I can get referred to a physio or if I can afford it might get a private consultation. It probably deep down needs an MRI scan to be fair but lets see how it goes.
INSTAGRAM: @joycinho
TWITTER: @rjsports1 @joycinho @rjrugbyleague
SPIRITUAL TWITTER: @JoyceParanormal