Ankle pain running..

[Insomniator]

So my ankles are fine playing tennis or football for hours.. as long as I don't roll them they seem fine. I JUST started running at the gym and its not good!

The inside of my left ankle starts to hurt after 10-15 minutes. By 20 minutes the pain expands to the top front of the ankle (up the shin) and kind of goes numb all together. I basically have to stop after 30 minutes, cause it feels like its going to fall off.

What the heck? Pain goes away by the time I'm back home from the gym. I don't understand... do I need new sneakers? I've gotten physical therapy in the past for this ankle because I rolled it bad once and then it started randomly rolling just walking around. I haven't had an issue with that in a year or two -- but i havent tried plain running either since then.

 

[vertika]

You should use pain killer and should bind it.

 

[hans007]

You run at the gym? Like on a treadmill? Don't run on. Treadmills... unnatural motion

 

[mizzou]

you've basically narrowed it down to your running form. it is NOT easy changing running styles as these physical problems only manifest over time

 

[TraumaRN]

What kind of shoes are you running in as well??

 

[SociallyChallenged]

You should use pain killer and should bind it.

This is absolutely horrendous advice. Somebody has pain so you tell them to 1) lock it up artificially with a wrap, thereby reducing their own inherent ability to stabilize and 2) take pain medication to cover up a stimulus meant to signal tissue damage? No, this is the worst advice possible to give.

 

[SociallyChallenged]

You run at the gym? Like on a treadmill? Don't run on. Treadmills... unnatural motion

This is also false. People have been claiming that treadmill running is unnatural. The kinetics and kinematics are very similar - the treadmill doesn't magically cause ankle pain. Running gait patterns are the same and the strategies used outside are used on the treadmill.

 

[SociallyChallenged]

you've basically narrowed it down to your running form. it is NOT easy changing running styles as these physical problems only manifest over time

Not necessarily. While running form may play a role, it could be something as simple as overuse, lack of addressing a previous injury, improper range of motion at the ankle, and even slight ankle structural abnormality. I wouldn't necessarily say running form is what it's been narrowed down to.

 

[SociallyChallenged]

OP, what you're describing sounds like tarsal tunnel syndrome. Essentially, your tibial nerve runs down the back of your lack and, as it approaches the ankle, sweeps toward the inside of the shin and ankle. If you have a problem like shin splints (posterior tibialis strain) or limited/excessive ankle eversion range of motion, this can aggravate the nerve. As you continue to bother the nerve, symptoms will travel from the first point aggravated up the leg. If you're concerned, I'd see a physical therapist so you could have all these things evaluated and have your running form assessed. It's usually something that's pretty easy to address with a little bit of massage, joint mobilization, strengthening, and movement re-training.