Anyone else had Achilles tendinitis?

[JustCurious]

Let me start off by saying I am not a medical doctor and I have not been diagnosed by a doctor but that hasn't stopped me from diagnosing myself. I *think* I have Achilles tendinitis in my right heel. I am a 50 year old man in decent shape, it started a few months ago, coincidentally about the same time that I started up jogging again on a regular basis after having not run for a while. When it first started, I experienced significant pain in the heel area of my right foot and it caused me to have to limp for a while, so I stopped running for a while to let it heal and sure enough it got better over a period of several weeks to the point where I would say it was about 90% back to normal, and it's been that way now for a couple of months. I still feel some discomfort and tenderness around my right heel, especially when I run, but it's not as bad as it used to be. The discomfort is centered around the top part of my right heel and I am convinced it is tendinitis.

My question is, has anyone else experienced this? What is the treatment? Should I just stop running for a while to let it heal? Should I expect it to heal or should I expect 90% healed as my new normal? I know, I know, I should go see an orthopedic specialist, but I am stubborn and I am wondering if maybe the doctor would just tell me to take it easy for a while and let it heal.

 

[whatnot]

Go to a Podiatrist, sooner than later. I am currently dealing with Achilles Tendinitis.
I’ve had an MRI. A good Podiatrist can recommend PT, determine if you need an insert for your shoes, etc. M y arches need support now. I am currently using a Boot to stabilize my tendon. Not ideal, but recommended to prevent additional damage.
If PT doesn’t work, then I’ll need surgery. I think I waited too long and kept walking even though it hurt.
Good luck!

 

[easysurfer]

I messed up an achillies a few years back using a manual treadmill. Got rid of the treadmill as soon as possible.

But now, every once in a while (a few times a year) the achillies hurts. I just rest a day or two and the pain goes away. I'm no doc, but am afraid one day I'll hear a pop .

 

[W2R]

Apparently Achilles tendonitis and Plantar Fasciitis often seem to appear at the same time. I had a *terrible* case of Achilles tendonitis, with a lesser but still awful case of Plantar Fasciitis back in 2001.

I did the usual PF treatments (icing, supportive shoes, custom orthotics, never going barefoot even in the shower, resting with my feet up most of the time). And yes, stop running for now (in my case, I had to stop riding my stationary bike temporarily, and never again without wearing supportive shoes). Like PF, the Achilles tendonitis slowly improved and after about 6-9 months it was eventually gone.

Haven't had it since, but when I feel any slightly similar symptoms coming on I do these same things and "head it off at the pass", so to speak.

 

[RunningBum]

Ice, rest, and anti-inflammatories. Consider a different shoe. Go to a running specialist store, not a big chain like Dick's or wherever. If whoever you go to doesn't ask to see the shoe you are running in to check for wear, or at the very least ask you the brand/model, walk or limp away. An expert should be able to recommend a better shoe for your condition if that is possible, and may be familiar with your injury.

 

[GalaxyBoy]

I had it and went to a podiatrist who did x-rays and diagnosed a bone spur on my heel. He said the fix would be surgery to separate the tendon from the heel bone, grind down the spur, then screw the tendon back into the bone. It would take months to heal, and I would be on a knee-scooter for a long time.

I guess he scared it out of me because somehow the symptoms have gone away. I iced it for a while and took ibuprofen, then worked up to walking longer and longer distances. I've kept up the walking several times per week going about 2.5 miles every other day.

Good luck, and I'd go to the podiatrist if I were you.

 

[TrophyWife]

If you took any floroquinlone antibiotics, this is a side effect that few people realize. Also try taking magnesium-helped me tremendously. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2921747/ They are flouride based and include Cipro and other popular antibiotics

 

[Osprey]

I started playing pickleball last February and developed Achilles tendonitis last spring. I rested for a month and one tendon got better and the other did not. I went to my dr and was referred to physical therapy where they diagnosed that I had a fallen arch and needed arch inserts in my sneakers. They developed an exercise program for me to strengthen that leg. While the internet has exercises posted to treat it, they were not the same as my PT suggested to address my muscle weakness. Now I am slowly resuming pickleball play and so far so good, no tendon pain.

Good luck with your recovery!

 

[mpeirce]

I had Achilles tendonitis and nothing was helping. One day I was listening to Doctor Radio on Sirius XM and someone called in with this problem. The Doc said to elevate the heel with a shoe insert. BINGO. I tried this and all the pain went away.

You can pick up heel inserts on Amazon for under $10. YMMV

 

[ncbill]

I had it and went to a podiatrist who did x-rays and diagnosed a bone spur on my heel. He said the fix would be surgery to separate the tendon from the heel bone, grind down the spur, then screw the tendon back into the bone. It would take months to heal, and I would be on a knee-scooter for a long time.

I guess he scared it out of me because somehow the symptoms have gone away. I iced it for a while and took ibuprofen, then worked up to walking longer and longer distances. I've kept up the walking several times per week going about 2.5 miles every other day.

Good luck, and I'd go to the podiatrist if I were you.

Same problem here, super-tight hamstrings & "Haglund's deformity" on both feet, one specialist recommended surgery over 10 years ago...but I used anti-inflammatories instead.

Starting to become more frequent...regret not doing the surgery when I was younger, since it looks like I'll be doing it soon enough.

No Plantar Fasciitis issues, though.

 

[Moemg]

If you took any floroquinlone antibiotics, this is a side effect that few people realize. Also try taking magnesium-helped me tremendously. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2921747/ They are flouride based and include Cipro and other popular antibiotics

That is how I got it from taking Levaquin for bronchitis. I iced it ,rested it and bought an elastic brace at Walgreen's . It took awhile before it finally went away . My medical chart is now marked with an allergy to Levaquin.

 

[RE2Boys]

Yes, kept up my running program, about 4 miles a day, 5 days a week, even though I started having pain about two inches up from floor. I was 63 at the time. Developed a very sensitive knot of tissue at that point. Tried some physical therapy but little help. Podiatrist recommended I visit a guy who custom made orthotics. After examination, he took an over-the-counter shoe insert, added some additional plastic, and the pain went away so I could walk/bike without pain.
But it actually took two years before I was fully healed and could return to running. Tried several times to run but I knew quickly that it was not fully healed. Had a couple of years running life left before knee pain convinced me to finally give up running if I wanted to continue hiking/biking. Now 70.