A couple of years ago I rolled my right ankle badly. I stopped running and had physio until it felt better. I have rolled it again on a few occasions since then, but each time the pain is less severe and I have started running again after just a couple of days rest., I haven't rolled it now for over 6 months, but over the last few months it has been feeling very weak. When run it feels like I have pins and needles and it feels very hot and weak, to the point I have to stop running. At the gym it flairs up  sometimes during high intensity workouts or strength exercises on that leg (e.g. lunges). I run a couple of times a week, play netball (took it up about 6 months ago), go to the gym and go indoor climbing/bouldering a couple of times a week. I buy new trainers once a year (and recently bought new ones) and try to go ones with more ankle support. Any advice gratefully received! Emily  

Hi Em All sounds pretty good stuff that you're doing - don't forget that you ankle is attached to your leg, which is attached to your hip. Not only do you need to do loads of balance work but also lots of gluts stability and endurance work and plyometrics. The only slightly "alternative" bit is the pins and needles and funny feeling. It's bizarrely common and is all to do with a nerve that runs from the outside of your knee and over the  ligaments on the outside of your ankle. Your nerve, called the common peroneal nerve, gets hassled because of the way your using your ankle. And when it's hassled it produces symptoms. The key is to know if the nerve is being hassled at the ankle (where the ligaments are) the knee or your back (poor glut control due to a dodgy ankle puts your back under increased load). If I was to take a punt I'd go for back - what's your single knee squat like right versus left? Poor control or cheating? You would need to sort this out first. You shouldn't really need to wear a brace (perhaps for netball) or change trainers. The Guru Six Physio