Severe ankle pain after running on the beach is most likely a sign of a sprained ankle. This type of injury occurs when your ankle ligaments are stretched out past their normal range of motion. Running in sand places more strain on the joints of your leg, increasing the degrees of rotation. This increase is especially prominent in your ankle. Running in sand increases the risk of damage to your Achilles tendon, a tendon that passes behind your ankle joint.
Symptoms
Severe ankle pain is only one of the symptoms you experience after an ankle sprain. Others include swelling, a decrease in your ankle's range of motion and a popping sound at the moment of injury. The pain of a sprained ankle increases when you bear weight on it. The more severe the damage to your ankle is, the more severe the symptoms tend to be.
Causes
Ankle sprains occur on the beach as a result of falls, during which your ankle joint twists awkwardly. According to the Mayo Clinic, running on uneven surfaces, such as sand on the beach, can also cause ankle sprains. Weakness of the muscle that supports your joint or a history of ankle injury increases the risk of ankle sprains while running on the beach.
Diagnosis
If you experience severe pain in your ankle after running on the beach, consult with your doctor. Your doctor will likely perform a magnetic resonance imaging exam and computerized tomography exam. These tests confirm the presence of an ankle sprain. The test results are used to assess the damage done to your ankle's ligaments.Your doctor may also order an X-ray and bone scan to rule out any bone damage.
Treatment
Doctors treat ankle sprains suffered while running on the beach in a variety of ways. Treatments include rest, physical therapy, immobilization, surgery, and anti-inflammatory or pain medication. In most cases, your doctor uses a combination of these methods. Your doctor's approach depends on the severity and location of your injury. Physical therapy is also recommended to prevent a reoccurrence. Physical therapy increases the strength of your ankle's support muscles, restores your ankle's range of motion and restores your ankle's flexibility. After treatment of your sprained ankle, consult your doctor before starting any physical activity that involves your injured ankle.
References
- Mayo Clinic; Ankle Sprain; Aug. 26, 2009
- Military.com; Fitness Center; Running
- "Physiology 5th Edition;" Edition"; Mathew N. Levy, Robert Bern, Bruce Koeppen and Bruce Stanton; 2004
- "Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine (16th edition)"; Lawrence Madoff, et; al.; 2005
- "Guyton and Hall Textbook of Medical Physiology"; A.C. Guyton; 2002
