The beginning of retirement has been wonderful for taking long walks in the woods.
I am happy to report that the xrays of my shin/ankle were negative, even though I limped an additional two miles on the injury to get home. When I awoke this morning it was hard to take any steps. Anti-inflammatories, compression, rest, elevation. Recommendation for some sort of OTC brace, as I will have increased vulnerability even after I heal.
I keep telling everyone: exercise is bad for your health. Urgent Care is full of people who have been exercising.
11 comments:
Staying home is no guarantee of safety. I just sliced the absolute snot out of my finger while making salad for dinner.
I did that this year as well.
For health, don't eat salad and don't exercise. Anything else I should know?
I don't know your particulars, but this has helped me w/ PTTD
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B006XK3GAW/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&th=1
Did you roll your ankle? May be time to get a new pair of hiking boots with more support. Although the majority of my hiking is now done in trail running shoes, unless severe cold and snow is expected (which it almost never is down here).
A good pair of boots is indeed a worthy investment.
Some years ago the Army did a study and found that a pound on the foot is as stressful as five pounds on the back, which suggests the need for lightweight boots. But my suggestion, as a lover of hiking and backpacking, is never to buy a boot shorter than eight inches. You can get ankle support out of a 6" boot, but with a full 8" boot (what is sometimes called 'duty' size, because it is the standard for military combat boots) the ankle and weakest part of the lower leg are all supported.
Of course, that's all the more important if you're backpacking. The extra weight means extra stress on the leg if you step wrong, and you're that much further from help.
High ankle sprain, already doing better. I have good boots, but they are 6". So that is where the stress was when I went down. Once sprained, your body does not instantly identify the danger point as well, at least not for a long time. So one of your best natural reactions is no longer available, and you sprain it more easily. Some sort of stretch-sensing mechanism.
I sprained one ankle (can't remember which) many times as a youth, but have not done so in years. I'm going to stay with an extra wrap or elastic brace only for the time being, but probably nothing more. I'll know pretty quickly if I need more.
Inattention from tiredness was probably the cause, on icy, downhill footing. I've done plenty of that, but I was less cautious this time.
I got a high ankle sprain from slipping in the shower, then doing almost exactly the same thing on the stairs about a week later last September. Nevering having had one I didn't recognize what happened and contined to run and workout with no stablization till I got to wondering why the swelling wasn't going away. It almost healed by Christmas though I continue to wear a brace while exercising.
Ouch. And it seems to take longer to heal than it used to, too.
BTW, does a little kid's bike wipeout count as an exercise injury?
I'm with Grim, on how heavy hiking boots can tire you out....At the same time, I love my old Asolo leather hiking boots which I clambered all over Iceland (glaciers, rocks, etc.) in...Under some conditions, heavy protects you from injury...
I sprained a knee on some marble stairs in Spain a couple of years ago favouring a knee hurting from years of marathon running (YES, exercise is bad for your health, but it's fun!). What helped? NSAIDS like Meloxicam, which my MD wd only give me for a month or two for fear of health consequences if I continued. When I took enough aspirin after that to ease the pain, I nearly gave myself an ulcer, so be careful...
Better solutions? Find on Amazon, ointments like willow bark that contain salicylic acid and rub it on the sprain. Aspirin type ingredient that bypasses your delicate gut, but helps the inflamed and painful injury. But Tiger Balm does jack. I also find that those cheap CVS gel bead containers with straps that fasten with velcro around a sore limb, that you can freeze give great relief in fifteen minutes. Another thing that helps is sitting in a wicked HOT HOT HOT sauna (at least 140-150 degrees) for at least 30 minutes, then jump in cold water, then repeat. Obviously build up to this, if you haven't been doing it before, but it will improve blood flow, which will help heal the injured area. Also the heat really eases pain.
I also have found that various shoes help: the absolute best are Mephistos, French brand, mostly made in Bulgaia, Portugal and other places now. But good arch support, cork footbeds ventilated, and leather uppers. Obscenely expensive, but if you put one in a shopping cart on Amazon at $400 , sooner or later it will get reduced to $150 and then you pounce...They make an incredible difference as walking shoes. FAR more comfortable than Merrells or any of the American brands because the latter are all made in China now and are synthetic and therefore hot and made on weird lasts...
Not to obsess on the topic of footwear, but it really made a difference for me when injured (when running marathons, when I had foot troubles, and with the old runners knees). Dansko clogs are good, but too heavy to wear with an ankle sprain. Hippy Birkenstock clogs might work for you but wouldn't be good in snow, but they would be very comfortable...I also found that those New Balance Minimus shoes really are good because you can feel the ground in them, and so you actually learn to walk properly in them (i.e.: with care) instead of pounding in cushioned sneakers with the illusion that it won't hurt your sore paw...
But thinking about it, I think the Mephistos might be best. Don't shriek at me about my champagne tastes on a beer budget. Those of us who enjoy hiking consider good shoes a worthwhile investment...Occasionally they show up cheap on Sierra Trading Post, but the mens' ones are harder to find cheap...
@ Retriever. An awesome download of information.
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