[Nettie]

Disclaimer: Yes, I know I should see someone. I have no insurance. It's a long story. <img alt="sad.gif" src="http://files.kickrunners.com/smilies/sad.gif"><br><br>
Monday, I had walked about 1.5 miles when I got a sudden pain in my outer ankle and on the bottom of my outer foot that stopped midfoot. Walking was painful at that point. I continued on to the gym and worked out as normal but skipped any calf exercises. Sometimes, I walk back home from the gym, but I knew I would never make it with the pain I was having.<br><br>
When I got home, I iced my ankle and it felt better. That next morning, I was feeling okay, so decided to try to run. I was pain-free for about a block and the pain was too great after a quarter mile.<br><br>
I stopped running at that point and I appeared to be getting better as the week went on. Saturday, I ran a 5K race at a really slow pace while wearing an aircast. I won't say I was pain-free during the race, but it wasn't anything like my previous attempt at running. After the race, I started having issues with walking again.<br><br>
I can stand in one spot with no pain, but it seems that standing for a long period aggravates it when I try to walk again. It feels a lot like my ankle gets very stiff, but today I was feeling around my foot and noticed that just under my ankle, along my outer foot, and on the top of my foot closest to my ankle, there is soreness.<br><br>
Additionally, my first steps in the morning are especially painful.<br><br>
So, anyone?

 

[Noni]

<b>Hey Nettie</b> - I was just checking in to see if anyone had posted anything about ankle pain...I think I have a similar but less painful version of what you're experiencing.<br><br>
I get stiffness in my ankle every morning when I get up, but I've also had to stop crossing my ankles, putting my feet up on anything, sitting cross-legged, you name it. All the things I love to do.<br><br>
I've just started experiencing pain while I run, but generally it passes after a mile or so - switches to some other part of my foot or calf.<br><br>
So it sounds like whatever you've got is possibly a worse version of what I have...I'll await responses to your query with interest!!

 

[ScratchType1]

<b>Nettie</b>,<br><br>
It might be just me, but I think it would be a good idea to get it x-rayed to exclude the possibility of a fracture. When I broke my tibia, I was actually able to walk on it, had a few days where RICE had me feeling much better, but then things started to get worse. When I'd get up in the mornings, it would be very stiff, very sore, although I'd find that if I walked on it some (which wasn't really helping any!), it would feel like it loosened up and the pain would diminish.<br><br>
I knew things were really mucked up when the swelling started to really take off. But initially, there wasn't all that much swelling at all.

 

[toe jam on crusty feet]

i would agree with scratch, but on the flip side, last weekend I was convinced I had a stress fracture and it turned out to be tendonitis. Tendonitis can be extrememly painful, but very easily treated. Try ibuprofen and 0 exercise for a few days, if you truly cannot get an xray. Good luck!

 

[Nettie]

Hey, thanks to everyone that has chimed in. I started taking some Advil yesterday and that seemed to help a little, but I also ran into a guy who does something medical on the street that saw me limping along and asked me what was wrong. He seems to think I might have an infection of some kind and advised me to soak my foot up to the ankle in water as hot as I can stand with epsom salt before bed for three nights. I did that last night and initially, it didn't seem to help, but I was able to put full weight on my ankle this morning without pain, so I'll let you all know.<br><br>
I'm going to see how good I do with walking on Friday and if that goes well, I might try to do a little running on Saturday.

 

[diablita]

That's interesting, Nettie; I never would have thought of an infection. Please be very careful on Saturday! Take care of yourself.

 

[Nettie]

<b>Diablita</b>, you're a sweetie! <img alt="smile.gif" src="http://files.kickrunners.com/smilies/smile.gif"><br><br>
Ok, after further reading on the internets and a call from an injury hotline, I am just about certain I have a stress fracture. So, I won't be running. Does 4 weeks sound good? I also ordered a pnuematic cast thingy to wear. <img alt="smile.gif" src="http://files.kickrunners.com/smilies/smile.gif">

 

[ScratchType1]

If it's at all possible, I think you would be better served by consulting a doctor. I don't know what your insurance situation is like though. I have insurance and even so the co-pays ending up costing me some money.

 

[diablita]

Nettie, could you go to one of those walk-in urgent care places? Usually they have very reasonable pricing b/c a lot of their customers don't have medical coverage. Maybe you could call and ask? I googled and found lots of links with info like this:<br><a href="http://gourgentcare.practicevelocity.com/list.php?state=Illinois&city=Chicago" target="_blank">http://gourgentcare.practicevelocity...s&city=Chicago</a>

 

[Nettie]

Back from the doctor...<br><br>
Apparently, I have aggravated my peroneal (sp?) tendon because of my extremely flat feet and inflexibility and I need to wear some inserts (in lieu of getting orthotics until I can scratch up the cash) and do these stretches and strength exercises and not run for a couple of weeks and see if I'm better. If not, I'll need PT.<br>
__________________

 

[ScratchType1]

Hope it improves quickly for you. The big problem with tendons is that they don't get direct blood flow, so it takes time for the body to circulate in what the tendon needs to heal and strengthen, as well as remove the waste products that have occurred from being injured.<br><br>
Did the doctor also suggest using ice any? By using the ice, you temporarily restrict the blood flow around the area, then when the ice is removed, the rapid increase in circulation back helps to bring in what the tendon needs to repair itself.<br><br>
I don't know about feet and ankles, but one of the things I do for my hands after putting them through a tough grip workout, which puts a lot of stress on the tendons in the hand, is a contrast bath. I soak my hands in a bucket of ice water for 1 to 1.5 minutes, then switch them to a bucket of hot water as hot as I can stand for 1 to 1.5 minutes, soaking them in each bucket 3 times. It really seems to help the hands recover from a tough workout.<br><br>
But I don't know if contrast baths would be recommended in your situation.

 

[Nettie]

All she told me was the ice was nice. She made no real specifications on when and how, but I will definitely be doing some icing in addition to everything else. And, I had been soaking my foot in hot water for a while as it seemed to help when it was at it's worst.

 

[mmoonptdeux]

Hey <b>Nettie</b> - well, I'm glad it's not a stress fracture for certain. And obviously I wish you a quick recovery from this<br><br>
The outside of my calves have been sore the last few weeks, and my massage therapist diagnosed it as tight peroneals. He suggested I do some foam roller work (which is hard to get right, because the tibialis anterior tends to get in the way) and some self-massage on the thing (he suggested locating the peroneal in the gap between the main calf muscle and the lower leg bones and using an upward massage motion.)<br><br>
Obviously you should listen to what your doc is saying, but I just wanted to throw that out there JIC.

 

[maccabeth]

Yep, that's what I had. I had to wear a boot for 6 weeks or so. Sucked big time. The orthotics have helped tremendously. I don't even have the knee problems I had before. That was a nice plus. No running, Nettie! Be good about wearing the boot! I didn't have any PT bc the dr. said it was too late at that point, and I just needed to let it heal. He said I should do really good calf stretches (where you push against a wall with one knee bent and the other extended behind you, heel down...) So far, so good. <img alt="smile.gif" src="http://files.kickrunners.com/smilies/smile.gif"><br><br>
Glad it's not a fracture! It'll get better with time and patience.

 

[diablita]

I'm glad you got the Dx, Nettie. Please take care of yourself and heed doctor's orders for the time being.