Sprained ankle...how long before I can bike?

[BikingNurse]

Sorry you injured your ankle. Sprains HURT. They can take up to 4-6 weeks to feel better. Again I've been a podiatry nurse for 2 years. We see lots of sprains. Wrap it. ICE, elevate!! Do range of motion excercises. and remember to be patient.

[zoom-zoom]

Sorry you injured your ankle. Sprains HURT. They can take up to 4-6 weeks to feel better. Again I've been a podiatry nurse for 2 years. We see lots of sprains. Wrap it. ICE, elevate!! Do range of motion excercises. and remember to be patient.

Thanks so much for your input! This is pretty much what I am reading everywhere. I'm hoping I'm closer to 4 weeks for recovery. But at least I have no races on the agenda until late Aug., and that is just a fun 5k mud run. Everything else I wanted to do is biking and no real pressure, just want to build up my miles.

So far my pain is very minimal. Every day my ankle feels better...it's mostly just stiff and feels pretty weak.

[zoom-zoom]

And tomorrow I am planning to go have it x-rayed--mostly to appease everyone who is telling me to rule-out fracture. I'm hoping the doctor can give me a good idea of what I should be able to do and when.

[zoom-zoom]

X-rays good...no fracture. Doc did give me a brace, though. Cleared me to ride, but only with platform pedals for a while. I'm guessing I won't want to put the clipless on before July. Didn't really say when I can run, again, but everything I have read says I need to be able to do several hops on the injured foot before I can. I'm just happy that I can do SOMETHING.

The urgent care doc couldn't believe that I ran nearly 10 more miles on the sprain and haven't been in a lot of pain. She looked equally shocked and irritated. No one ever said I was rational or wise.

[indigoiis]

Yes - the range of motion exercizes - making circles with your feet, writing the alphabet - those are very helpful. Also at four weeks I did a routine where I put a sofa pillow on the floor over a big book and balanced on the "bad" ankle.

[zoom-zoom]

Ooh, I like the pillow/book idea. I have thought about looking at a wobble board, too. I've seen lots of suggestions of PT exercises involving one of those. Wouldn't be a bad idea to do ankle-strengthening exercises on a regular basis.