Wobbly Ankles?

Wobbly Ankles

Okay, I'm a dog, I don't have ankles as such, so I turned to OUTDOORSmagic's gear question and answer geek Richard Gear and asked him what to do if you have weak and feeble ankles:

Slack Ligaments

Most weak ankles are a result of some sort of strain or break which has caused damage to the ankle mechanism in two ways. As I understand it, repeated strains will cause some real slackness in the ligaments - which is why if you've sprained the same ankle several times, there will be less trauma when it turns again - and nerve damage.

The nerve damage is a major problem. In simple terms, what's happens is that your body no longer knows instinctively where your foot is in relation to your leg. Whereas with a healthy ankle, you'll be able to sense when it's about to turn over and correct accordingly, with a serially-trashed one, it's already gone before your brain realises - cue yet another turned ankle.

Wobble Boards

The good news is that using something called a wobble board - think of a wooden upturned Mexican sombrero - can rebuild those nerve responses again, they're sold by physio equipment suppliers and the trick is to balance one legged on them for extended periods, eventually graduating to doing it eyes shut, till you've relearned the responses. Dull but worth the effort. You can get some of the effect by closing your eyes and standing on a pile of loose cushions.

Another tip is to see a physio and get them to demonstrate how to strap the ankle lightly with zinc oxide tape. This doesn't so much physically protect the joint as, by pulling on the skin when your foot is off vertical, tell your mind what angle the foot's at.

Boots and Stability

It's easy to make the mistake of thinking that high-sided, stiff boots are going to offer more protection, but the reality is that only very high mountain boots will actually hold your ankle firmly enough to physically prevent it from turning. The pressure of the boot against the ankle may give you some sensory warning of when it's about to turn, but it won't prevent it.

In reality, stability doesn't come from the sides of the boot at all, but by how positively your heel is cupped in the boot and, how natural it feels. The Salomon X-Adventure 7 for example is a relatively light, low boot, but holds your foot firmly enough and has enough lateral rigidity in the sole that it feels as stable as much stiffer boots. The thinner the sole and closer to the ground your foot is, the more stable the boot is likely to feel, which is one of the reasons that thin-soled fell shoes work so well.

So what I'm saying is that big, stiff boots may feel more secure, but in reality aren't really and, the pay-off can be reduced comfort as the soles flex less and heavier weight to lug around on your feet. I'd advise you first to get hold of a wobble board and make a determined effort to strengthen your ankles, next to find out how to strap them and finally to look for a boot that fits your foot as well as possible with a particular emphasis on holding your heels well - shaped padding and a pronounced heel cup will help.

Thanks for that Richard. And remember guys and gals, always keep your paws clean and your claws clipped.

Woof!