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May. 14th, 2010 03:12 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
tylik"You mentioned there being some way of rebuilding the retinaculum in the ankle a while back... While that doesn't seem to be my issue, I have a strong suspicion that it is my fiance's. I'd be really curious to hear more about that! (And about keeping joints stable in general.)"
Sadly, the specific fix has little to do with the general fix. The big problem with a torn retinaculum is that every time you put weight on that foot you'll push the tibia nd fibula a bit apart and essentially re-tear it. So the damn thing won't heal without surgery.
Well, not quite. What you do is get some tape (and undertape - and seriously, do not skip the undertape, though gauze might also work). And then relax your ankle and put a very snug band of tape, probably a couple time around the cirumference of your ankle, on your ankle so that it's middle is about an inch and a half above the bony protuberance. (Very snug. When you first put it on it should feel a little too tight. It will loosen fairly quickly.) This should be the narrowest part of the ankle anyway, so it's pretty simple. It should hold everything in place, and allow the torn bits to scar over. And, if you've applied it properly, you should notice an increase in stability, and a decrease in pain pretty much immediately.
Simple, right? Well, there's one complication - you have to have this in place every time you put weight on the ankle for the next six to eight weeks. Seriously. If, during that time, you put your weight on it without the support, the clock starts all over. Which is why the undertape is so important - there is no way your skin will be happy with that much tape. It probably won't be thrilled even with the undertape.
It also can be done more than once. The second time I did this (I've injured both ankles, that time it was in the 2003 car accident), the first round helped, but the ankle was still a little loose. So I did it again, and the second time got it the rest of the way. Not fun... but the other option is surgery, and as annoying as it was, way better than surgery.
For general joint stability... The simple story is that it's all about strength. The real story is that if your joints are lax to begin with (which is true of me, and I think of you) your best bet is to compensate with muscular support. But it needs to be the right muscular support. I've often been able to figure out major pieces on my own, but when it's come to the tricky bits (spine, scapula, pelvis) it's been incredible helpful to consult with people knowledgeable regarding human biomechanics. These people can be hard to find, but oh, so worth it. (It's not just about finding someone who knows more than you - sometimes it's just really helpful to get an opinion from someone who doesn't live in your body, but can see it moving from the outside.)
Actually, flexibility can also be part of the story - very vulnerable joints often end of splinted, and to be able to either move them or develop support often you need to mobilize them as you strengthen them. This is one of the reasons that I'll often go through irritable periods as things are getting better.
Sadly, the specific fix has little to do with the general fix. The big problem with a torn retinaculum is that every time you put weight on that foot you'll push the tibia nd fibula a bit apart and essentially re-tear it. So the damn thing won't heal without surgery.
Well, not quite. What you do is get some tape (and undertape - and seriously, do not skip the undertape, though gauze might also work). And then relax your ankle and put a very snug band of tape, probably a couple time around the cirumference of your ankle, on your ankle so that it's middle is about an inch and a half above the bony protuberance. (Very snug. When you first put it on it should feel a little too tight. It will loosen fairly quickly.) This should be the narrowest part of the ankle anyway, so it's pretty simple. It should hold everything in place, and allow the torn bits to scar over. And, if you've applied it properly, you should notice an increase in stability, and a decrease in pain pretty much immediately.
Simple, right? Well, there's one complication - you have to have this in place every time you put weight on the ankle for the next six to eight weeks. Seriously. If, during that time, you put your weight on it without the support, the clock starts all over. Which is why the undertape is so important - there is no way your skin will be happy with that much tape. It probably won't be thrilled even with the undertape.
It also can be done more than once. The second time I did this (I've injured both ankles, that time it was in the 2003 car accident), the first round helped, but the ankle was still a little loose. So I did it again, and the second time got it the rest of the way. Not fun... but the other option is surgery, and as annoying as it was, way better than surgery.
For general joint stability... The simple story is that it's all about strength. The real story is that if your joints are lax to begin with (which is true of me, and I think of you) your best bet is to compensate with muscular support. But it needs to be the right muscular support. I've often been able to figure out major pieces on my own, but when it's come to the tricky bits (spine, scapula, pelvis) it's been incredible helpful to consult with people knowledgeable regarding human biomechanics. These people can be hard to find, but oh, so worth it. (It's not just about finding someone who knows more than you - sometimes it's just really helpful to get an opinion from someone who doesn't live in your body, but can see it moving from the outside.)
Actually, flexibility can also be part of the story - very vulnerable joints often end of splinted, and to be able to either move them or develop support often you need to mobilize them as you strengthen them. This is one of the reasons that I'll often go through irritable periods as things are getting better.
