Triathlete avoids surgery and lengthy recovery after damaging ankle ligaments

Clare Webster, 44

Rutland, UK

Clare Webster is a Biomedical Scientist and works as a Customer Strategy Manager in the pharmaceutical industry. 

After sustaining an injury in the gym to her ankle in May 2018, Clare experienced immediate pain and swelling and was unable to bear weight on it. She knew she had done some serious damage. 

Clare was referred to her local hospital where she received an MRI, followed quickly by the diagnosis that she had damaged her ATFL and CFL, the ligaments that provide stability in the ankle joint.

The specialist told Clare that if she would like to return to her normal level of activity, which at the time included training and participating in sprint triathlons, or even to just be able to wear heels again, then she would need surgery.

Clare said:

I was reluctant to go down the surgery route. I had previously had reconstruction on my ACL following a skiing accident on my left knee in 2010, and although I made a full recovery and feel fantastic now, the rehabilitation and recovery was intensive. It was almost a year by the time I had recovered from pre-surgery physio, the surgery itself, and post-surgery rehab.

Clare has a young son, so the idea of undergoing another operation coupled with the lengthy recovery times didn’t seem like a viable option for her. She told her surgeon that she would like to try physiotherapy first as a treatment option before she looked into the possibility of surgery. This was when Clare discovered MBST, and in her own words, she never looked back. 

Clare was first treated with MBST in July 2018 for damage to the ligaments in her left ankle. She was so thrilled with the results that Clare opted for further MBST treatment on her right achilles heel and left foot tendon in January 2022 at Cell Regeneration in Rutland. Within weeks noticed a significant change:

As a working and travelling mum with a seven year old son, although not ideal, recovery time was limited. With MBST, my ankle healed within weeks, and the best part was that it was a result of non-invasive treatment without extensive physio or rehabilitation.

Clare said of her MBST treatment,

Just starting with the basics, this treatment has allowed me to walk without concern that my ankle would give way or that I could be doing more damage. I really enjoyed running around Rutland water trails last summer, which I couldn’t imagine doing post-injury, but MBST has made it possible. I live a very active lifestyle, and I’m at the gym six to seven times per week. I love fitness classes and take part in body combat, which involves lots of jumping and kicking. I also love doing yoga, weights and spinning and my ankle still causes me no pain. This year I even went skiing again for the first time, which I was not sure I would ever be able to do again. This treatment is transformative. As a busy working mum, the thought of having to consider surgery and months of rehabilitation was a no go. It would have caused huge changes across my work and personal life, and not for the better! Knowing that with this treatment, I have been able to return to my normal active self again, who loves exercise – it’s absolutely life-changing and I have recommended it to so many friends over the years. And the best part, I can wear my heels again!

Ann Clare, Physiotherapist at Cell Regeneration in Rutland said,

Finding an effective non-surgical approach to relieving ligament damage has never been more important. For some people, like Clare, the idea of being faced with surgery as the only treatment option can be devastating.

As well as surgery, Clare’s injury would have also meant that she would have had to commit to regular physiotherapy sessions. As an innovative and non-invasive treatment, MBST has helped Clare to reduce her discomfort and improve the function of the ligaments in her ankle. With no downtime, the treatment is convenient and can help reduce pain and live an active life as it has done for Clare.