The back of my right ankle, like where the Achilles tendon is, has been bothering me since before Christmas of 2008. My right ankle isn't as flexible or as strong as my left, and it hurts when I try to work on it or even sometimes when I go up on the ball of my foot or all the way on pointe. Over spring break, I had a week with no classes during which I iced it a lot and it seemed to be doing better, but I went back and it was less flexible than ever. Now I've had almost three weeks with no class and, after finals were over and I had time to breathe, I've been working on getting back into shape again since I start summer intensive for five weeks on June 8th. I'm really worried about what this ankle is going to do. I absolutely HAVE to go to SI, it's already gotten me in trouble with my teacher for taking class other than at my own studio... anywho... it really needs to be worth getting in trouble. So... what to do? I've iced it, I've stayed off of it, I always stretch and warm up before class... I'm at a loss right now. Thanks! ~megan~
Why don't you go see a professional? Like a (sports) physiotherapist? If you're a serious dancer, you need to get yourself checked out by someone who knows their shit. You do not want to injure your ankle, or anything to do with your Achilles tendon.
It kinda sounds like what happened to me from a sprain. My right ankle isn't nearly as flexible as it used to be after spraining it, and not being able to let it heal right.
I think what's the problem here. I'm a dancer too and somethin similar happened to me. It was probably a bad landing on one of the harder jumps [ex. Sau De Chas a la second or Scisson or Pau De Chas Anturnan] or a bad piroutte landing. Since the pain wasn't treated when it hurt, it probably developed into a full grown sprain. And, especially for sprains, you shouldn't have JUST iced it. It's a hard routine but it works. 15 minutes ice, 15 minutes heat, switch, repeat, switch, repeat. Since you iced it so much, it tensed up. Hence the loss of flexibility. Don't worry, sprains aren't really that drastic. By the time you get to the summer intensive, it'll hopefully be healed, if you treat it well and be conscious not to do any hard physical activity that includes your ankle.
