Question 1

Overview of the anatomy

Accepted Answer

The ankle joint is formed where the bones in your lower leg (tibia and fibula) meet the talus bone in your foot. The bone endings are covered in smooth cartilage and a thick sinewy capsule surrounds the whole joint, holding it together.

The joint is further reinforced by ligaments that attach into the bones on the inside, front, and outside of the ankle. The muscles in the lower leg move and control your ankle via tendons that cross over the joint in several directions.

When you sprain your ankle, you usually injure several of these structures in and around your ankle and foot.

Question 2

Ankle sprain symptoms

Accepted Answer

When you sprain your ankle, you usually injure several structures in and around your ankle and your foot. Sometimes, you can even sprain your knee at the same time.

The severity of your sprain will determine your symptoms. Including how intense they feel and how fast they resolve.

Mild sprains:

You may be able to walk with only a bit of discomfort, but walking on uneven ground will likely hurt.
There may be some swelling and bruising around your ankle or foot. This would likely occur over the outer side of your ankle if your foot rolled inwards when you sprained it. The swelling is usually in the injured ligament area, but the bruising may be lower.
It’s common for the muscles on the outer side of your lower leg (the peroneals) to hurt. They help stop your foot from rolling in too much and are often strained when you sprain your ankle.
Your ankle may feel stiff, and it will likely hurt if you try to turn your foot all the way in or out, as well as point your toes up or down.

Severe sprains:

Walking will likely be quite painful and limited to short distances only. If you cannot place any weight on your foot, you should see a doctor as this may signify a broken bone.
Your ankle and foot will likely be very swollen (all around) and quite bruised.
You may have injured several muscles, which can cause pain over the front, outer side, and/or back of your lower leg.
Your ankle joint will be stiff and painful if you try to force movements. This happens for a few reasons. 1. The swelling in your ankle makes it difficult to move. 2. The injured joint surfaces hurt when they’re moved closer together. 3. The injured tendons and ligaments are sore when they’re lengthened as you move your foot.
It's usually very stiff first thing in the morning, but this improves as you gently move your foot.

Question 3

When should you seek medical advice?

Accepted Answer

Seek medical advice for sudden, severe, worsening or unusual symptoms, significant swelling, numbness, or difficulty with everyday movement. The app provides general training content and does not replace individual medical assessment.

Question 4

How can strength and mobility support running?

Accepted Answer

Build general running capacity with progressive strength work, mobility exercises and gradual changes to training load. Adapt sessions to your current ability and allow time for recovery. Seek medical advice for persistent, severe or worsening symptoms.

Question 5

How can I progress and manage training load?

Accepted Answer

Progress depends on your starting point, consistency, recovery and overall training load. Increase demand gradually rather than following a fixed timeline. If symptoms persist, worsen or include unusual signs, seek individual medical advice.

Question 6

Research References

Accepted Answer

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