Ankle bone query

Langoxer

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Hi 20 years ago I fractured my ankle in 3 places and broke a bit off my growth plate. I was 13 at the time so I underwent surgery to pin the place back together. All went well and my leg continues to grow properly. I had the pin removed once the bone had healed. I have been training Thai for 3 years and recently moved to a new trainer, my new trainer uses harder Thai pads and when I kick them I’ve noticed that I don’t have the same flexibility in that ankle as the other, had not noticed this sparing or doing bag work before as I kick with my shin.

Long story short has anyone else had this prior injury ? Is it even possible to stretch this out to get the same flexibility so when I kick the pads and my foot it still touching that my ankle will bend enough to let my shin fully connect ?
 

tkdroamer

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Hi 20 years ago I fractured my ankle in 3 places and broke a bit off my growth plate. I was 13 at the time so I underwent surgery to pin the place back together. All went well and my leg continues to grow properly. I had the pin removed once the bone had healed. I have been training Thai for 3 years and recently moved to a new trainer, my new trainer uses harder Thai pads and when I kick them I’ve noticed that I don’t have the same flexibility in that ankle as the other, had not noticed this sparing or doing bag work before as I kick with my shin.

Long story short has anyone else had this prior injury ? Is it even possible to stretch this out to get the same flexibility so when I kick the pads and my foot it still touching that my ankle will bend enough to let my shin fully connect ?
So, you are 33? Yep, joint injuries can have permanent degradation to some degree. But almost all of them can be augmented and worked through to where they are equal to pre-injury levels. Arthritis can be a real bxxxh and takes time to work over and 'smooth out' the affected area. But it can always be done IMHO.
Everything changes as we get older, and injury can exacerbate this. That is not a pass Not to work through it. Just do it wisely and have a checkup with your doctor.
 
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Langoxer

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Yes I’m 33

Thanks for both your replies.

It’s not stopping me training, I much prefer the harder Thai pads, it’s already helped me clean up poor technique I hadn’t realised I was performing on the softer pads.
I’ve been working on stretching the area and already feel like ive gained extra mobility, till recently I just thought it was another part of me that was stiff and had poor flexibility.
 

tkdroamer

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Yes I’m 33

Thanks for both your replies.

It’s not stopping me training, I much prefer the harder Thai pads, it’s already helped me clean up poor technique I hadn’t realised I was performing on the softer pads.
I’ve been working on stretching the area and already feel like ive gained extra mobility, till recently I just thought it was another part of me that was stiff and had poor flexibility.
I feel you are on the right track. Alway look for redness/swelling in the area. The foot is a complex body part, and the ankle carries a lot of weight. Plus, both body parts are at the end of a moment arm or lever. You can create forces they are just not made to withstand. Training, technique, and conditioning are all very, very important. Since you only have one L/R ankle, L/R foot, etc... listening to your body is even more important.
Most people can handle much more than they realize once they condition their brain to process pain accordingly. Just be smart about it.
 

Jimmythebull

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work over and 'smooth out' the affected area.
can you be more specific on what you mean by smooth it over? are you talking about scarring or scar tissue? not sure how you can smooth out Arthritis?
 
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Langoxer

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can you be more specific on what you mean by smooth it over? are you talking about scarring or scar tissue? not sure how you can smooth out Arthritis?
Yes I was curious what he actually meant by that.

My right hip ‘clunks’ when I do gates to warm up. To me it feels like the area is rough inside and needs smoothed out.
I just put it down to poor flexibility, as a kid I was never able to touch my toes or sit cross legged but I’ve always been very active. When I started training I could barely get up to leg kick and felt like a year of yoga and training before I could turn my hip over. Slowly improving but I started training later.
 

Jimmythebull

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Yes I was curious what he actually meant by that.

My right hip ‘clunks’ when I do gates to warm up. To me it feels like the area is rough inside and needs smoothed out.
I just put it down to poor flexibility, as a kid I was never able to touch my toes or sit cross legged but I’ve always been very active. When I started training I could barely get up to leg kick and felt like a year of yoga and training before I could turn my hip over. Slowly improving but I started training later.
I mean after a knee OP i had scar tissue & later it was shaved with a lazer in an op but Arthritis??
 
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Langoxer

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I mean after a knee OP i had scar tissue & later it was shaved with a lazer in an op but Arthritis??
I’ve no idea, I always put it down to I’m using a range of motion that for 30 years I’ve never moved my hip in that way.
Never thought of it as arthritis.

Same with my ankle. Neither stop me from doing anything or cause pain. Slight discomfort at times.

I had only posted on here as I was curious if anyone else had been through a similar thing and had any input.
 

Gyakuto

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I think it’s commonly believed that if you fracture a bone, it will heal and all will be as it was before the break. This is sometimes the case for ‘stable fractures’ but from experience, most people are never the same again with reduced mobility, pain and ‘deformation’.

Follow drop bear’s advice!
 

tkdroamer

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can you be more specific on what you mean by smooth it over? are you talking about scarring or scar tissue? not sure how you can smooth out Arthritis?
Work around or through would have been a better choice of words. Staying active helps keep Arthritis growth and progression somewhat at bay and/or keep the contacting surfaces smoother. Regardless, it is a real PITA.
To my knowledge there is no scarring involved with Arthritis, but nothing would surprise me. Where it gets really bad is when there are no wear surfaces left and things are bone on bone.
 
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Gyakuto

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Work around or through would have been a better choice of words. Staying active helps keep Arthritis growth and progression somewhat at bay and/or keep the contacting surfaces smoother. Regardless, it is a real PITA.
To my knowledge there is no scarring involved with Arthritis, but nothing would surprise me. Where it gets really bad is when there are no wear surfaces left and things are bone on bone.
A few years ago I had a young PhD student doing some teaching in an undergraduate lab-based session for me. She was working on using stem cells to regenerate cartilage in joints. They’d has significant success in experiments and I asked when human trials would begin. she suggested ‘soon’ and predicted that by the time I needed a knee replacement, I’d be receiving an injection in my knee, go home and wait for my knees to be cured!!

What this space…
 

Jimmythebull

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Work around or through would have been a better choice of words. Staying active helps keep Arthritis growth and progression somewhat at bay and/or keep the contacting surfaces smoother. Regardless, it is a real PITA.
To my knowledge there is no scarring involved with Arthritis, but nothing would surprise me. Where it gets really bad is when there are no wear surfaces left and things are bone on bone.
a guy i know who´s younger than me had to get two hips replaced. never overweight & was active, some people are just unlucky
 

tkdroamer

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A few years ago I had a young PhD student doing some teaching in an undergraduate lab-based session for me. She was working on using stem cells to regenerate cartilage in joints. They’d has significant success in experiments and I asked when human trials would begin. she suggested ‘soon’ and predicted that by the time I needed a knee replacement, I’d be receiving an injection in my knee, go home and wait for my knees to be cured!!

What this space…
Oh how I wish that was available and effective! My body may use up the whole supply. :D
 

Gyakuto

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I do have some special oil, procured from legless reptiles, that might help…only if you’re interested😐🙂😉
 

Gyakuto

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Hi 20 years ago I fractured my ankle in 3 places and broke a bit off my growth plate. I was 13 at the time so I underwent surgery to pin the place back together. All went well and my leg continues to grow properly. I had the pin removed once the bone had healed. I have been training Thai for 3 years and recently moved to a new trainer, my new trainer uses harder Thai pads and when I kick them I’ve noticed that I don’t have the same flexibility in that ankle as the other, had not noticed this sparing or doing bag work before as I kick with my shin.

Long story short has anyone else had this prior injury ? Is it even possible to stretch this out to get the same flexibility so when I kick the pads and my foot it still touching that my ankle will bend enough to let my shin fully connect ?
I saw this a while ago…there is light at the end of the tunnel…hang on in there!
 

Gyakuto

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I have had Synvisc injections before. Not a cartilage builder but supposed to be like WD-40 for the joint.
How interesting…I’ve never heard of that…derived from chicken combs 🐔
 

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