Post tibial tendonitis

[minkydog]

Ow ow ow... I partially ruptured my right post tibial tendon about 8 years ago. Didn't need surgery,but I was in a cast for awhile to force rest of the foot. Last summer it flared up again after about a month in a yoga class and was pretty bad.I can barely raise my heel off the ground and i can no longer go up on tiptoes. The doctor said the nerve is damaged. I quit yoga and went for about 8 weeks of PT, which helped a lot.

I started a relatively easy workout program about 4 weeks ago, just weights, walking about a mile, and recumbent biking 2-3 days a week. Over the last 2 weeks this foot thing is talking to me again. At first it was just a few "zings" in the arch. But over the past week it has steadily gotten more and more painful, to the point that I'm limping now. There is a small reddened & swollen area directly over the tendon. I'm icing it but I can't take NSAIDS< allergic.

I know I'm going to have to go in this week and get it looked at. Last summer when it flared up the ortho had to inject the tendon with steroids (and that is excrutiatingly painful! ) I couldn't even move for 3 days! At this point I am willing to go into a cast again, even though that would be a real mess( my right foot, no driving. And I have stairs inside and outside my house.) the last time I was there the doctor hinted at the possibility of surgery, which may or may not even help. I am really miserable and scared.

Has anyone had this? How was it handled?

 

[JerseyJanice]

No experience, but I just wanted to send a good wish and a kind prayer. It sounds so painful and complicated!

 

[Christine]

I was just diagnosed with this last week.

If you remember, about 3 weeks ago, I posted that I had done Jillian Michael's 30 day Shred video and had hurt my ankle doing jumping jacks without my shoes on???

Well, the ankle (or below the ankle on the inside of my foot) just KILLED me for a week. I tried so much self/home care (icing, lots of compression, elevation, hardly walking, etc) but it just wouldn't get much improvement. Son on Monday, I got in with an orthopedist who diagnosed me with a sprained ankle plus posterial tibial tendonitis. I had swelling and redness too. He gave be a flexilbe ankle brace. It laces up like an ice skate and then there are two velcro straps that wrap under the foot and up the ankle and this allows me some mobility but gives my ankle and that tendon specifically, some rest. I have worn it for 5 days now and I have a HUGE improvement. I am going to wear it through Monday and then, maybe, on Tuesday I can wear normal shoes. I also bought myself some orthotics at a running store and that helped.

The orthopedist told me that this will probably be a lifelong issue due to my low arch, flexible tendons, and advancing age and he referred me to a podiatrist that he really likes to get some custom orthotics.

I think you should go get one of the braces that I got. It really helped.

 

[minkydog]

I was just diagnosed with this last week.

If you remember, about 3 weeks ago, I posted that I had done Jillian Michael's 30 day Shred video and had hurt my ankle doing jumping jacks without my shoes on???

Well, the ankle (or below the ankle on the inside of my foot) just KILLED me for a week. I tried so much self/home care (icing, lots of compression, elevation, hardly walking, etc) but it just wouldn't get much improvement. Son on Monday, I got in with an orthopedist who diagnosed me with a sprained ankle plus posterial tibial tendonitis. I had swelling and redness too. He gave be a flexilbe ankle brace. It laces up like an ice skate and then there are two velcro straps that wrap under the foot and up the ankle and this allows me some mobility but gives my ankle and that tendon specifically, some rest. I have worn it for 5 days now and I have a HUGE improvement. I am going to wear it through Monday and then, maybe, on Tuesday I can wear normal shoes. I also bought myself some orthotics at a running store and that helped.

The orthopedist told me that this will probably be a lifelong issue due to my low arch, flexible tendons, and advancing age and he referred me to a podiatrist that he really likes to get some custom orthotics.

I think you should go get one of the braces that I got. It really helped.

Oh, thanks for reminding me! I *do* have an ankle brace just like that from a previous injury. I'm going to go get it soon as I finish icing my foot. I already have the custom $$$ orthotics. I have had flat feet all my life; my footprint looks almost square.

 

[Christine]

Oh, thanks for reminding me! I *do* have an ankle brace just like that from a previous injury. I'm going to go get it soon as I finish icing my foot. I already have the custom $$$ orthotics. I have had flat feet all my life; my footprint looks almost square.

Great! The ankle brace will really help. The problem is that once you flare up the tendon, as you have done, you can't really heal it because every time you take a step, you pronate and irritate it. Every step I took last week hurt and I could feel my ankle turning in. Within the first 8 hours of wearing that brace I was probably 50% better so the resting of the ankle was key.

I don't have totally flat feet but I am as close to flat as you can get. I have a very minimal arch on a footprint. What I have, though, that worsens it is lax tendons. That's not to say that I'm lucky enough to be flexible but that they just aren't tight at all. I often get pain in the patella area of the knee if I wear heels to much or do running because my tendons around my knee do not hold my kneecap stable. It was never a real problem until I hit my late 30s. Now everytime I exercise, I'm always hurting something.

 

[Callie]

I have the same problem (and I'm young) and nothing has helped. None of the ankle sleeves fit my food correctly, and I'm constantly in pain. Best wishes!

 

[Christine]

Callie--have you tried this one? I know it's hard to see in the picture.

http://www.dme-direct.com/lace-up-ankle-brace-breg/

It laces up and then the velcro straps can be adjusted based on your foot. I can't imagine that it wouldn't fit anyone correctly. This is the one my doctor gave me. Had I know I could order it on line, I would have.

 

[minkydog]

I don't have totally flat feet but I am as close to flat as you can get. I have a very minimal arch on a footprint. What I have, though, that worsens it is lax tendons. That's not to say that I'm lucky enough to be flexible but that they just aren't tight at all. I often get pain in the patella area of the knee if I wear heels to much or do running because my tendons around my knee do not hold my kneecap stable. It was never a real problem until I hit my late 30s. Now everytime I exercise, I'm always hurting something.

I used to be able to wear a lot of different kinds of shoes. Now my foot is so flat that I can't even keep flats on--I walk right out of them. And forget heels altogether. I can't wear any kind of heels for more than 2 minutes without excrutiating pain in my feet. At this point I wear nothing but New Balance. I have a black pair and a white pair. I literally wear them with everything, dress pants, skirts, shorts, everything. THey are very ugly and I hate them but it's all I can wear.

 

[Callie]

Callie--have you tried this one? I know it's hard to see in the picture.

http://www.dme-direct.com/lace-up-ankle-brace-breg/

It laces up and then the velcro straps can be adjusted based on your foot. I can't imagine that it wouldn't fit anyone correctly. This is the one my doctor gave me. Had I know I could order it on line, I would have.

I'll have to ask about this one. I know he wanted a sleeve, so it would support the foot in a different manor since I have something similar to the one you posted, just not as fancy. Maybe i'll try wearing the one I have to see if it helps. I just have huge feet, that the sleeves cut off circulation.
Thanks tho!

 

[pezheadmeg]

Oh, thanks for reminding me! I *do* have an ankle brace just like that from a previous injury. I'm going to go get it soon as I finish icing my foot. I already have the custom $$$ orthotics. I have had flat feet all my life; my footprint looks almost square.

Also try keeping it braced at night. I read that trick for carpral tunnle sufferers, but I use it when my ankle tendonitis flares up. It works wonders for me. I can be restless sleeper and keeping it stabalized does wonders come the next morning.

 

[donac]

I got that brace mentioned a few months ago and love it. It does take a practice to get it on quickly but it does give a lot of support.

I have flat feet, a third set of bone spur, a bunion that was removed in June and arthritis in the ankle on one side. I don't even want to know about the right side

If you are going to wear a brace at nightmake sure that it is not too tight.

Good luck

Custom orthotics do make a world of difference. I am on my second set.

ALso find a good podiatrist. They are worth their weight in gold.

 

[minkydog]

I got that brace mentioned a few months ago and love it. It does take a practice to get it on quickly but it does give a lot of support.

I have flat feet, a third set of bone spur, a bunion that was removed in June and arthritis in the ankle on one side. I don't even want to know about the right side

If you are going to wear a brace at nightmake sure that it is not too tight.

Good luck

Custom orthotics do make a world of difference. I am on my second set.

ALso find a good podiatrist. They are worth their weight in gold.

I have naturally flat-feet, also, something I got from both my mother and father. I just got a new pair of custom orthotics last summer so you'd think they would help. I'll try wearing the ankle brade at night and see if that helps. Today I had to go to Costco with DH for some stuff. I did pretty well until I got to the back of the store and by that point i felt like I was walking right on my arch. The pain went all the way up into the back of my calf. Had to come home and ice it for a long time.

The thing that makes me really mad is that I have been trying to improve my health. I've lost 44-lbs, started a reasonable exercise program consisting of weights, walking a mile, and biking. My blood sugars are better, my triglycerides are much much better and I have a ton of energy. I just can't catch a break with this foot. Each and every time I try to start a walking program this foot flares up and I have to stop. I am so frustrated! Someone suggested swimming, but I hate to be in the water. I'm not a strong swimmer and it's not enjoyable. I guess I'm just left with doing weights for now.

 

[Mrs.Milo]

I had this surgery, I think, didn't know the name of the tendon. It's on the inside of my foot, below my ankle. I was treated for over a year by a great podiatrist. I had custom orthotics, the brace that wraps, ultrasound treatments, & cortisone shots. Finally the surgery, I woke up and the pain was gone (it had been constant). I had to stay off my foot for 4 weeks, used one of those rolling scooter things instead of crutches. It's now been 3 years and doing great, but still wearing orthotics! Also, my Dr inserted a screw on the outside of my foot, to keep my foot from rolling, kind of like having a door stop; it could only travel left so far. The screw was the only problem, every few weeks I would step wrong and get a big ZING, so after a year I had it taken out. I personally think it must have been too close to a nerve. I'm very satisfied that surgery was right for me. And I also have a knee arthritis, genetic, where my kneecaps are off-center, leading to loss of cartilege (sp?). I don't know what effect this had on my tendon.
Good luck!