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Posterior Tibial Tendonitis (Read 53 times)

    I have been dealing with posterior tibial tendonitis for about 2 months now. Can anyone share their experience with this annoying injury?

    My story: Started with having some minor pain just above the inside ankle the day after a run, did not bother me during the run.  Then it started bothering me during the run and really painful after, again just above the inside ankle and up into the inside calf/shin area.  I stopped running and headed to a physical therapist after a week off of running and still have discomfort.  At this point, the pain would happen a day or two after exercise and then go away.  PT diagnosed PTT and had me doing rehab strengthening exercises for ankle/hip/foot.  About a week after that, I started having pain/discomfort around the malleolus and into my arch (even though I was not running - just doing rehab).  Now I am 7 weeks of no running and just doing rehab and aqua jogging and I am STILL having pain/discomfort around malleolus and into arch and it's everyday.  No longer having pain in my shin/calf area where it had started.  I saw a podiatrist last week who also diagnosed PTT and said if I am still having discomfort after 3 months, he would send me for an MRI.

     

    I need to hear how this injury was for other people so I can see the light at the end of the tunnel!

    LedLincoln


    not bad for mile 25

      My experience has been that it's a long tunnel.  Sorry.  I took six weeks completely off running (swam instead), and when I resumed running, there seemed to be no improvement as a result. Sad  A few weeks later, I finally began to notice some improvement.  The only thing I had changed was that I resumed taking multivitamins, having dropped them a year or so earlier.  I can't tell you whether there was any relationship.  As to the length of the tunnel, I still felt it for at least two years after that, but I ran through it. Most of the discomfort was at the very start of my runs, and afterward.  It had little real impact on my running during that time.  I think you just have to go by feel and be patient.

      HCH


        My experience has been that it's a long tunnel.  

         

        +1

         

        Sorry, that's probably not what you want to hear right now, but depending on the severity, how much you run, and your age this might take a while. The nearly 2 year timeline sounds about right. Even now (2 1/2 years out), my ankle will swell and ache if I slack off on my rehab exercises. I had to take about 6 straight months off from running and cycling (oddly, clipping in hurt my ankle as much as running.)

         

        A physical therapist is a good first line resource, a podiatrist is probably better, and a consultation with a good sports medicine physician or orthopedist would probably be better yet. S/he will may tell you the same thing, but it's worth a second (or third) opinion. It seems weird to me that you are still having so much pain after 7 weeks on the bench, and that your pain has migrated. Also, your day-to-day footwear matters as much if not more than what you wear for running. Stay away from high heels.  My cute shoes have all been collecting dust for 2 1/2 years but I'd rather have that and be able to run. The podiatrist should have some good advice on this, too.

         

        Good luck.

        Only 26.2 miles more to go.

        swimmifish


          oh lord i know how you feel because im in the same boat only worse. i have it in both feet as well as plantar fasciitis and a muscle strain in the arch lol. i was rollerblading. Here is what you need to do get the doctor to order the mri. it sounds like PTT but they dont KNOW for sure until they do an MRI and seriously a lot of things can cause ankle pain there are 2 other tendons in the medial ankle and you want to know the extent of the injury. if it is PTT please take it seriously. left untreated it can progress to flat foot deformity and requires surgery. Here is what you need to do:

           

          Stay off your foot as much as possible for 6- 8 weeks. if you have a standing job you need to take time off. for exercise Just swim or bike but even limit walking and standing. I would get some kind of ankle brace to use when you have to grocery shop etc. try for 6 weeks use collagen protein a multi vitamin and eat a very healthy diet. alot of fats including butter and vegetables and grass fed meat. you can try turmeric and fish oil but alternate because they both thin blood and can cause bleeding. ask your doctor about getting a referal for custom made arch supports.

           

          if after 6 weeks there is no difference progress to plan b . Get the mri and dont wait any longer also because they can have the wrong diagnosis which will further delay your healing time. if it is PTT immobolize with a walking boot for 6-8 weeks and continue the healthy eating and then use prp injections to strengthen the tendon. this all determines on your mri because like i said anything else can cause the ankle pain . but PTT is more serious. left untreated it will cause your foot to collapse and is very serious. so please get the mri i wouldnt wait 3 months id wait 6 weeks. if you have to get to plan b and immobollize it to rest the tendon do the prp injections to strengthen it and a healthy diet is very imporant. good luck. im in the same kinda boat. and it should get better !!! 

           

          DO NOT continue with testing the foot with running until your pain free for 2 weeks and start out slow. if there is pain immediately go back to resting. dont listen to doctors when they say 3 months is enough resting or whatever everyone is DIFFERENT tendons and soft tissue takes time and if it needs more time then it needs more time. if you try going back to running before its 100 percent healed youll just have to start back again.