Sprained MCL due to splayed feet?

[Superhero]

I have sprained my right MCL twice now (orthopaedist diagnosis) while snowboarding and after a lot of research and time I think it is due to my feet pointing outwards. I noticed that if I put my feet pointing directly forward and bend my knees as if doing squats, the knees bend inward and come together. This seems to be putting stress on the MCL. Snowboarding requires that knees and legs be very strong, and I think the bending inwards on some choppy snow put too much stress on the MCL.

My shoes wear on the outside heel and under the first metatarsal. Under what appears to be my 3rd metatarsal there is a slight callous there. My big toe is longer than my second toe on both feet by a little, but the gap between the toes is deeper between my 1st and 2nd toe than between my 2nd and 3rd toe.

As a child I used to sprain my ankles all the time from landing on the outside of my feet first, causing them to bend inwards. I used to walk with my feet turned out a lot more than I do now, but I have trained myself to point them forward. Despite this, when squatting and pointing my feet forward, I still can't get my knees to bend over my feet as I've read they are supposed to do. My ankles roll inward if I point my feet outward.

I found a site stating that placing a spacer under the first metatarsal can help to correct this, and I tried this for about a week or two. I used 1/2" at first then reduced it to 1/4" since it didn't fit my shoe well. With a 1/2" spacer under my first metatarsal, standing on flat ground, I am able to point my feet directly forward and my knee naturally bends right over my feet. I did notice also that when doing calf presses or raises with the spacer in my shoe that I was able to work the inside calf muscle, which feels very soft and underdeveloped compared to my outside calves. In fact, my outside calves are so thick and strong that it makes me look bowlegged unless I turn my feet out about 60 degrees each. Also I was able to work a very thin feeling muscle in my outside calves that seemed to be working my ankle. I also feel this when rollerblading or ice skating (I have not tried the spacer when doing those two activities). I think it's one of the ankle muscles bracing my foot to stand on its outside edge due to being forced to hold my feet straight for rollerblading and ice skating.

My lower leg bone, with feet pointing forward, is straight, so I don't think I'm bowlegged. It just looks that way because of the muscle.

I stopped using the spacer under the first metatarsal because I read this can cause significant mechanical problems in the foot over time.

My feet aren't flat at all. I would say that my arch appears higher than that of others I have seen, but not by much. The arch itself has never been painful, though sometimes it does get tired of I stand in one place for too long. That could just be poor fitting shoes though. I'm currently using green Superfeet insoles (and have tried Sole Softecs) and they feel pretty good in my shoes, though they do nothing to correct my feet pointing outward.

Outside of ankle sprains as a kid and the balls of my feet getting tired when standing in one place for a long time (I used to work retail), I have no pain. I run for a couple of miles two or three times a week and am generally pretty active. I've never had any kind of knee or ankle pain while doing physical activities. Definitely no chronic pain in my legs or feet. I'm 30 now and am in decent shape. I've never had any traumatic injuries to my legs, ankles or feet except for the childood sprains (<12 years old) and the right MCL being sprained twice. Ortho said it wasn't torn but I'm starting to wonder... but that's a different issue.

My research leads me to think that I am hyperpronating. My posture isn't the best, I developed sciatica and I have degenerative disc disease (mild) between my L5 and S1 vertebrae (I'm pretty sure that's where it is). Apparently all of these issues are symptomatic of hyperpronation. My shoelaces come untied a lot too. Since I don't have any chronic pain I'm guessing that it's not terribly bad, but it's bad enough to cause problems with a beloved sport (snowboarding) so I gotta get it fixed.

Obviously I can't keep having my MCL getting hurt. I'm lucky the injuries to it are minor right now but I'm not so sure that if I keep this up they will stay that way. Is there anything I can do to align my feet, ankles and knees so that they point forward normally without putting all the weight on the outside of my feet and stressing my knee ligaments?


Thanks!

[FootDoc]

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Non-flat feet and higher than normal arches are not consistent with excessive pronation, while a history of repeated lateral ankle sprains is more consistent with a supinated high-arched foot rather than an overly pronated one. In my view, based merely on the plethora of seemingly lay-assumptions you have offered, you probably have spent too much time in involving yourself in and attempting self-diagnosis and treatment, and unless that is simply an enjoyable hobby of yours, if you wish actual help, see a professional for a real opinion and recommendations based on a knowledgeable examination.