Ankle pain after basketball but no swelling

Hello Guys,

Got a bit of a strange one, doctors are useless, as they just advocate rest. It's difficult to google it, as symptoms are unusual and lengthy.

I am fine before playing, and I do the usual warm ups, everything is fine in terms of speed, cuts, lateral movement in the game. But after about an hour and a half to two hours, my left ankle locks up and it feels like a light ankle sprain, there is pain and stiffness and it buggers up my game completely. Right foot is totally fine.

There is no swelling, there is no red marks. I just limp away after every session like a gimpy old man. Sometimes the ache and pains come earlier and my game just crumbles as I can't then drive or hit a jump shot, which isn't good in the fourth quarter.

I ice it up, and literally the next day it's fine again.

Have had this for 3 weeks now, and did not have any injuries as a precursor, as I spent new years and xmas ill with flu..

[QUOTE=stevieming]Hello Guys,

Got a bit of a strange one, doctors are useless, as they just advocate rest. It's difficult to google it, as symptoms are unusual and lengthy.

I am fine before playing, and I do the usual warm ups, everything is fine in terms of speed, cuts, lateral movement in the game. But after about an hour and a half to two hours, my left ankle locks up and it feels like a light ankle sprain, there is pain and stiffness and it buggers up my game completely. Right foot is totally fine.

There is no swelling, there is no red marks. I just limp away after every session like a gimpy old man. Sometimes the ache and pains come earlier and my game just crumbles as I can't then drive or hit a jump shot, which isn't good in the fourth quarter.

I ice it up, and literally the next day it's fine again.

Have had this for 3 weeks now, and did not have any injuries as a precursor, as I spent new years and xmas ill with flu..[/QUOTE]

how often do you play? how often did you stop playing when you had the flu?

where EXACTLY do you feel the pain in your ankle? On he front, the outside, inside?

[QUOTE=Burgz V2]how often do you play? how often did you stop playing when you had the flu?

where EXACTLY do you feel the pain in your ankle? On he front, the outside, inside?[/QUOTE]

I play 2 hours on Wed, 2 hours on Friday, 2 x 40 min matches on Sunday but I only log about 25-30 minutes of play in each game.

Stopped playing altogether when I had flu. So was about a month.

Front right, feels like inside.

Im Having Similar Problems Except Its The Arches Of My Feet Thats Giving Me Problems. I Havent Played Bball In A While So Im Assumin Its Just My Muscles Gettin Back Adjusted To The Runnin,cuttin And Jumping Right??????????????????????????

It Only Hurts While Im Active...soon As I Sit Down And Chill The Pain Subsides

[QUOTE=stevieming]I play 2 hours on Wed, 2 hours on Friday, 2 x 40 min matches on Sunday but I only log about 25-30 minutes of play in each game.

Stopped playing altogether when I had flu. So was about a month.

Front right, feels like inside.[/QUOTE]

so you didn't have the pain before you had the flu?

sounds to me like your body is responding poorly to being off basketball for an extended period of time. I think your doctor may be right, you need to rest when you start getting the pain, not push through it. If it persists you should probably get a scan (X-ray to see if anything is broken, MRI if it's a muscle/tendon thing)

hmmmm

I really don't want to rest, at my age fitness disappears as soon as I stop playing....

going to tough it out a few more weeks and see if it improves...

I don't get why only the left foot and not the right though....

I am getting old at 34 I suppose.

[QUOTE=stevieming]hmmmm

I really don't want to rest, at my age fitness disappears as soon as I stop playing....

going to tough it out a few more weeks and see if it improves...

I don't get why only the left foot and not the right though....

I am getting old at 34 I suppose.[/QUOTE]


Have you had numerous sprains previously? My mistake was not letting them heal properly and deciding to play though pain too often. My physio tells me my ligaments are probably extremely weak and at this point I need to do excercises to strengthen them.

[QUOTE=miggyme1]Im Having Similar Problems Except Its The Arches Of My Feet Thats Giving Me Problems. I Havent Played Bball In A While So Im Assumin Its Just My Muscles Gettin Back Adjusted To The Runnin,cuttin And Jumping Right??????????????????????????

It Only Hurts While Im Active...soon As I Sit Down And Chill The Pain Subsides[/QUOTE]

Do you have flat feet? Without the proper insoles, you could be getting Plantar Fascitis. I have that same problem, had custom insoles made, and within a few months, the pain went away.

[QUOTE=clipse]Do you have flat feet? Without the proper insoles, you could be getting Plantar Fascitis. I have that same problem, had custom insoles made, and within a few months, the pain went away.[/QUOTE]


YEA I HAVE FLAT FEET.WHERE COULD I GET SOME CUSTOM INSOLES AT? ITS JUST WEIRD..I VE BEEN PLAYIN BALL ALL MY LIFE AND NEVER HAD THIS PROBLEM UNTIL NOW

[QUOTE=miggyme1]YEA I HAVE FLAT FEET.WHERE COULD I GET SOME CUSTOM INSOLES AT? ITS JUST WEIRD..I VE BEEN PLAYIN BALL ALL MY LIFE AND NEVER HAD THIS PROBLEM UNTIL NOW[/QUOTE]

I also have this problem, I wore custom made orthotics for like 4 years and my body was in really good shape. went to LA and forgot them in my hotel room and just never bothered to get a pair for 2 years. at the end of the 2 years my feet were flat as hell again and I started getting shin splints, back pain, my shoulders were out slouched forward too. it really sucks, not everyone with flat feet have these problems but mine are EXTREMELY flat.

see a chiropractor or podiatrist. if you have health insurance it might cover it but i doubt it. if you have to pay, they are pretty expensive. at least in toronto they were, about $400 for a pair but they last for like 5 years, if that means anything to you.

[QUOTE=clipse]Have you had numerous sprains previously? My mistake was not letting them heal properly and deciding to play though pain too often. My physio tells me my ligaments are probably extremely weak and at this point I need to do excercises to strengthen them.[/QUOTE]

Have had many over the years on both ankles...

Hmmm, maybe some rehab exercises on the ankle is a good idea...

how old are you?

i just went thru a hectic freshman bball season with my oldest son. a few practices into the season he started to develop severe ankle pain, to the point that he was limping and almost in tears. to make a long story short, he missed 1/2 the season but ended up having to get custom orthotics for his feet.

his diagosis was flat feet and he has tight calf muscles that keep him from having a full range of motion in his ankles. this in turn keeps him from walking properly which in turn was forcing him to almost "stomp" while running and causing pain. i was skeptical about the orthotics at 1st but they really help him out. go see a doc and get a referral to a bone specialist.

I kinda have the same problem when I start playing my ankles start feeling sore and I have to stop and wait till my ankles start hurting. I am going to try to get new shoes but not sure if that will help.

[QUOTE=miggyme1]Im Having Similar Problems Except Its The Arches Of My Feet Thats Giving Me Problems. I Havent Played Bball In A While So Im Assumin Its Just My Muscles Gettin Back Adjusted To The Runnin,cuttin And Jumping Right??????????????????????????

It Only Hurts While Im Active...soon As I Sit Down And Chill The Pain Subsides[/QUOTE]

You are starting to develop plantar fasciitis. Do proper foot strengthening exercises.

I have similar problems to you op. What I have the doctor called ligamentitis I think. My ligaments got permanently damaged in both ankles, but it has gotten better. Do different work out with rubber tubing.

are you stretching properly before and after the games?

foam roll also helps tremendously, try "foam rolling" using a golf or tennis ball for the bottom of your feet.

also, do some ankle stability, mobility exercises, strengthening your ankles can possible help with your problems.

Grade 1 sprains are light sprains that usually allow return to sport in 2-3 weeks. Grade 2 ankle sprains involve greater injury to the ligament and can take up 4-6 weeks to allow full return to sport. Grade 3 injuries are more severe in nature and often involve full tearing of the ligament and possible bone fracture.

[QUOTE=stevieming;8235424]Hello Guys,

Got a bit of a strange one, doctors are useless, as they just advocate rest. It's difficult to google it, as symptoms are unusual and lengthy.

I am fine before playing, and I do the usual warm ups, everything is fine in terms of speed, cuts, lateral movement in the game. But after about an hour and a half to two hours, my left ankle locks up and it feels like a light ankle sprain, there is pain and stiffness and it buggers up my game completely. Right foot is totally fine.

There is no swelling, there is no red marks. I just limp away after every session like a gimpy old man. Sometimes the ache and pains come earlier and my game just crumbles as I can't then drive or hit a jump shot, which isn't good in the fourth quarter.

I ice it up, and literally the next day it's fine again.

Have had this for 3 weeks now, and did not have any injuries as a precursor, as I spent new years and xmas ill with flu..[/QUOTE]

It's a bummer when doctors don't seem to have the answers, but don't sweat it. Your symptoms might be a bit out of the ordinary, making it tough to find info online. It's awesome that you're doing all the right warm-ups and moving smoothly during the game. But after a while, your left ankle starts acting up and throws a wrench in your game, feeling like a sprain. No swelling or red marks, though. It's like you're hobbling away like an old-timer afterward. Sometimes the pain even messes with your game earlier, and that's no good, especially in crunch time. Good call on icing it up, though, 'cause it seems to do the trick the next day.