Just for Athletes, read Dr. Bouraee’s Running Article:

Your Poor Ankles

Running: The steady pounding of your body weight added to the force of gravity applied to one ankle at a time. What is the difference between running and walking? The answer is the gait cycle. While walking your body weight is distributed amongst two feet at a time. While running your body weight is being carried by one foot at a time.

Why are the effects of running and walking so different on your ankles? You must factor in gravity and force. Each step you take while running is two to three times your body weight. All of this pressure is transmitted through one ankle. This pressure can overwhelm your ankles causing pain, poor running performance, or even a situation where your ankle gives out and you fall down. The motion of your ankle keeps you moving forward. Moving forward is the key to running. Your poor ankle – no wonder it’s prone to injury, stress and pain sometimes!

So the question is what can you do to make it stop hurting? Well, stop running is one way, but any avid runner will only see that as a last resort. It will destroy a runner’s psyche to stop! You run for peace of mind, you run for your health, you run for you. Running is part of who you are. I understand that!

There are other things you can do to help you continue to run and decrease your pain level. The most common reason runners have pain in their ankle joint is because they do not stretch enough or do not stretch properly. You must stretch your ilio-tibial band, and stretch your Achilles tendon. Don’t forget to stretch your hamstrings, your quadriceps, and your hip flexors. Other common problems are arthritis and hyper-pronation of the foot which can also be treated by a physician specializing in foot and ankle problems.

Efficient muscle use translates into less oxygen consumption, which makes the runner feel less tired. This ultimately means more productive muscle use and more efficient running. We all want to run better, run longer, and run faster. The best way to do this is by educating yourself on your body and what your body needs.

Keep on running for your health,

Sara Bouraee, DPM, AACFAS