[Jessamy]

Hi all,

I'm going indoor bouldering today for the first time after an ankle sprain in March. I was a beginner then, only going a few months, and fell about a metre to a loud crunch. Swelled up huge and was off it a couple of weeks, xray ok. It's now largely better (do physio when I remember...), but I get twinges especially going downstairs.

I'm going to take it *very* easy - mostly asking advice, doing some insanely easy routes and seeing what it feels like. I never had any training before, so am going to look into a class and working out how to fall better.

Does anyone have any suggestions for approaching this process? My sister has now been climbing so long that when she sprains her ankle she's walking the next day, which she puts down to strong ligaments - is that common?

Thanks in advance, and I'm afraid that unless everyone says 'too soon' I'm not going to wait any longer - have missed climbing so much!

Jess

[battery]

I've had a lot of problems with ankles, strengthening your ankles will help aid recovery and prevent future injuries. A few tips for you:

Get a 'hedgehog' (they're about £20 for 2 on Amazon) stand on it on one foot as much as you can.

Stand on one foot with your eyes closed.

Stand on your tiptoes with your knees bent.

Stretch.

As for going back bouldering, do it, enjoy it, test out your ankle and see what it will let you do, listen to your body and take note of how it is the following day. It is likely to swell and be sore when you go (if it is anything like mine) but I was always advised that it is how it is the following day that is important.

[slackline]

No real insight, but this is an interesting read on 'The Art of Falling'...


img024 by andrewpopp38, on Flickr

img025 by andrewpopp38, on Flickr

[r-man]

I've had a lot of problems with ankles, strengthening your ankles will help aid recovery and prevent future injuries. A few tips for you:

Get a 'hedgehog' (they're about £20 for 2 on Amazon) stand on it on one foot as much as you can.

Stand on one foot with your eyes closed.

Stand on your tiptoes with your knees bent.

Stretch.

What he said. For as much as possible, several times a day, minimum once a day. Try counting so you can keep increasing the time you can hold the position. I was told to do this for three months after I sprained an ankle.

If you do both legs, you'll also improve your balance and ability to stand on small holds. Try standing on your good leg, on tiptoes, with your eyes closed, for a minute. Fingerboarding for feet!

When out bouldering, just try problems with flat landings and get your spotter to really catch you if you need it. I found falling off overhangs is less stressful on ankles than vertical walls, as you can roll backwards onto your bum - just make sure your spotter is attentive.

Suprised you waited so long though - was it a really bad sprain? Often it's easier to climb than walk - I was climbing again after a week, but my ankle was a bit funny going uphill for about a year.