swollen ankle and foot

[Karen Burfoot]

So after my fight my left leg was bruised and lumpy and I started massaging it.  2 days later my left foot and ankle swelled up and have been huge since.  I have just had it xrayed and after 3 doctors and 2 sets of xrays they have decided there are no breaks.  I have been keeping it up, icing it, taking ibuprofen and resting but does anyone have any other super tips to help speed up the progress? Should I strap it? From fight prep to nothing has got me itching to get on with some form of exercise.  I am even considering going swimming as I am so fidgety which I suck at as I can only do breast stroke.

[NewThai]

I prefer hot compresses. Epsom salt baths/soaks. Is it that sore you can't box (no kicks)? That sucks.

[Karen Burfoot]

I prefer hot compresses. Epsom salt baths/soaks. Is it that sore you can't box (no kicks)? That sucks.

Thanks I have been having hot epsom salt baths.  Luckily my coach is training to become a yoga teacher too so we did yoga instead of thai in my private session and then some boxing pads in class with a friend who also has an injured ankle. Finally a huge lump came up on my lower shin and now I have started massaging it my foot and ankle are no longer filling.  It must have been pretty deep though as I have a couple of other lumps on the same shin that I have been massaging but couldnt feel any more.  Its pretty lumpy at the moment but I know after a few days of massaging it hard it should go down. (The joys of your first fight with no shinpads!)

[NewThai]

Ha, yeah. I've had one of those deep lumps that took a while to surface. I kept compressing and trying to work it out, but it wasn't ready. No fun! I'm glad to hear you've been able to work around it though. Not being able to train would drive me insane, as I'm sure is the same with most of us here.

[Jilly Mcculloch]

I would probably strap it either with zinc oxide over an anklet or KT/Rock tape whilst you train around it as well as the usual hot/cold/elevate etc. Even if there is no soft tissue damage it won't do it any harm for a short period of time - lots of people strap to prevent strains/pulls etc. If there is a little damage it will add stability to the joint and offers compression whilst the tissue recovers. Loads of videos on how to strap online if not sure. For rehab, I like to use the alphabet trick - spell out the alphabet with your foot the get the joint moving and new blood to the site. Well done on your recent bout! :)

[Fighting Frog]

If you possibly can bear to, try not to put any pressure or strain on the joint for a few weeks - there's probably some soft tissue damage which nothing but time will heal. I recently cracked and chipped a bone in my foot (and had soft tissue damage) and was unable to do anything heavy or twisty - no bag or pad work, no punching, no kicks, I couldn't skip, run, or do push-ups or other exercises that involved bending the foot at the toe end - for seven weeks. I found ways around it - lots of sit ups, lateral work on the floor, that sort of thing, but of course nothing for CV fitness!

When I went back into exercise I had to be careful as it took another couple of weeks before it stopped hurting when I put weight on the bent foot (as in push-up position). It sucked big time, all the more so since now I get hideously puffed out really quickly! (And I've put weight on...) On the other hand, I gave my foot every opportunity to heal properly, so now it's just a case of Getting Back There.

Incidentally, compression is not always the best treatment - speak to a physiotherapist or orthopaedic person for whether it is suitable for your injury.

 

Congrats on your first shin-pad-free fight!

[Maya Flores]

I kicked a knee and now I have this exact thing. My shin was knotty so I massaged it out. Now, my foot and lower calf are swollen. I've been massaging it out for like five minutes at a time, using either liniment or some icy hot. 

How long does this last? I kicked the knee Friday and the lump is almost gone, but the ankle is still puffy. Am I supposed to keep massaging it routinely? 

 

Congrats on your fight!, wibble!!