Help, I've Fallen and I Can't Get Up!

For the last seven months, a group of co-workers have been meeting in the gym over our lunch hour to play volleyball two or three times a week. It has been a lot of fun and we are getting better the more we play. Well I have always been competitive and I don't like standing back to watch the ball get pummeled at me.

Last Wedneday we were playing, and I was at the net. I jumped up to block the ball and Scott who was on the other side, also was up trying to spike the ball. When I came back down I landed on his foot and rolled my right ankle. I was paralized with pain. I couldn't move for a minute or two. I then got up. I walked around and continued to play for another 20 minutes. I couldn't jump anymore, but I was getting by. I have a hard time giving up volleyball, if you couldn't tell.

I went into the locker room to change and took off my shoe. My ankle was swollen big time. I was having to limp. I ran into my supervisor and he told me to go home immediately. He said to follow the RICE regiment. Rest, Ice, Compression and Elevation. It started bruising really quickly. I woke up Thursday morning and it was still very swollen and black and blue all around the outside of my ankle and down to my heal and then towards the middle of my foot. I worked on Thursday and kept icing and elevating it all day. My supervisor brought me his crutches so I could use them at home.

I had taken Friday off so I could clean and shop for Easter. I woke up Friday morning and I was able to put pressure on it. I found that as long as I was moving it didn't hurt. Once I sat down and rested, then it would throb. So opted to keep moving.

Perhaps I am paying the price now, because all day Tuesday and now today it has been giving me a lot of pain. However, the swelling is gone and I just have the bruising. I have a brace which is helping give my ankle more support. So for the time being I am laying off the volleyball.