Coming back from a sprained ankle: alternative stirrups?

[SnicklefritzG]

I sprained my ankle a few weeks ago and am now at the point where I can do light riding and exercise according to my doctor and PT. Riding with longer stirrups has been helpful and as an event rider, focusing on dressage for a time isn’t going to be a bad thing.

However, once I am strong enough in my bad ankle to start jumping again, I’m wondering if trying alternative stirrups will be helpful. I’ve seen so many different kinds from ones where you can turn the stirrup so they sit at different angles relative to the stirrup leather. Then there are others that tilt downward making it easy to keep your heels down. Most of these seem to be quite expensive. I’m mainly concerned about the extra stress that will be on my ankle or back and side of my leg when I ride with the much shorter stirrups.

Has anyone else come back from an ankle sprain and found any of the alternative stirrup types to be helpful?

[Canaqua]

I sprained my ankle about six weeks ago. I did not ride for for about a week (couldn’t put my full weight on it on the ground) and then rode without my stirrups for another another week. I already have those MDC stirrups that can be made to turn at different angles, they really didn’t help at all. I found that, once I started riding with stirrups again, it was painful at first, but felt better as I kept riding. Until just very recently, I did find my foot going numb while I was riding (probably still some swelling inside the joint). I had to keep taking my foot out and wiggling it around to get the blood flowing in there again.

My first jumping lesson after the sprain, about two weeks afterward, I could not make it through the whole thing…my ankle got more painful jumping than just flatting, I had a convenient teen hop on and finish my lesson for me ;). I’ve been OK since, it gets better every ride…pretty much normal now.

[PNWjumper]

I would think that jointed stirrups would hurt your ankle more, not less, because of the additional movement they cause in your ankle. If you had a sprained knee I’d be the first to suggest them, but not for an ankle. The others you’ve mentioned - I love MDC stirrups and have them on all of my saddles. With normal stirrups I tend to bend my ankle out and down, but with the MDCs turned to a 90 degree angle I keep my ankle straighter. I haven’t noticed a “wear and tear” (on me) difference, but I don’t lose my stirrups as often. I can’t see the ones with the tilted pad making a positive difference because they would force you into a slightly more heels-down position I would think?

The “alternative stirrup” I found the most helpful after breaking my ankle was good old-fashioned no-stirrups work

[wateryglen]

just my 2 sense!

Often a bad sprain can make an ankle unstable or weak for a long time so I first suggest that you just wrap your ankle for many weeks with an elastic bandage to strengthen and stiffen it up some when in the saddle. Keep using your regular stirrups. Wait a good while and wean off the bandaging slowly. You may not need any special ones down the road. Wait to see. That said; I myself ended up happily using herme-sprengers after multiple injuries including a bad sprained ankle that “collapses” a good bit when in 2 point. Also try riding home on the stirrups for awhile. I am cursed to forever feeling like one stirrup leather is longer. Oh well!! Try borrowing other styles before buying. Easy for me to say…I own a millyun bits!! :winkgrin:

[Ceylon_Star]

I despise the wide-tread composite stirrup irons on a normal day, but during rehab after I tore my achilles, they were a godsend. The wider footbed gave me more stability as I regained the strength in my ankle. Over the last several years I’ve gone from the composites for rehab, regular fillis irons, and now I have jointed sprengers that help encourage the tighter tendon to flex better. When I have issues with pain I’ll pull out the composite irons for a ride or two, and then go back to my trusty sprengers.

I don’t suggest wrapping with a tensor bandage, you’re better off getting an elastic ankle brace instead. Fits in boots better and no worry about layers of bandage bunching or drooping.

[SnicklefritzG]

Thanks everyone for the replies! It is good to know that I don’t necessarily need to go out and buy big $$$ stirrups in order to rehab my ankle.

@PNWJumper: I had to chuckle over your comment about the “no stirrups” alternative. My trainer said she would like to me to do some work without stirrups during lessons and during my practice rides. I did that a bit last week and felt a lot of benefit when I picked them back up for a light jumping lesson last friday.

I need to talk walk breaks between rides through the gymnastic exercise or over a course to make sure my ankle doesn’t get too tired. However, I do feel a lot better than I did a few weeks ago