Tendonitis timeline

[amethyst73]

- Noticed mild ankle pain for first time one morning very late in November (after T-day) while skating.

- Probably continued having mild pain when skating after that, but don't specifically recall.

- Early/mid December: Often walked ~3/4 mile in the evening to meet huz at train station.  Noticed some irritation upon arrival at station, and moderate irritation/pain walking back.  Pace generally pretty quick.

- Late December (Xmas week): At home in Boston, largely sedentary.  Walked ~20 minutes daily (2 10-minute segments, often 1+ hours apart).  Noticed mild pain on second segment, otherwise no recall of pain.

- Upon getting back from trip (like, the day we got back): Walking to grocery - some pain.  Walking back - more pain.  Finally tell huz that ankle is bothersome.  Figure am going in for annual physical in only about a week and will ask about it then.
2 mile hike a couple of days after getting back (up and down hill, no less) was fine, weirdly enough.

- Between hike and doc appointment, notice distinct increase in pain level and frequency:
  - ankle aching a bit when wake up in the morning, hurts to stand on it initially, and to drive in the morning. 
  - pain localization paid attention to: under and around inner ankle bone, sometimes (usually early in the day) shooting up to mid-calf on inner face
  - one day had moderate/nasty pain going downstairs - determined that high degree of ankle bend when weight is on that foot is at least partially responsible

- Doc appointment 1/8.  He thinks it's tendonitis.  First line of attack: get custom orthotic inserts from local running store.  Also, start taking Aleve to help with pain and to decrease inflammation.  Eventually might consider orthopedist and surgery.  Start taking Aleve 1/9, usually just one dose in AM.

-1/10: Go skating.  Initially painful, but then fine for ~30 minutes, at which point pain returns and I get off the ice.

- 1/11: get fitted for orthotics.  Hope they help.

- 1/12: Skating class.  Similar pain pattern to 1/10.  Ask instructor about tendonitis: he says, ice 20' on, 20' off for a couple of hours (implication, whenever possible).  Maybe wrap ankle with something thin to give it extra support.  If get skate orthotics, make sure it's not throwing too much weight to outside of foot, otherwise knee will be in trouble.

-1/14: Two things:
  - a couple of times during day in addition to ankle hurting a bit, knee on same side gave startling pinching sensation on outside face, just outside the patella.  Painful for a minute or two; straight-leg walking on that side helped.
  - spent kind of too much time on my feet, between lesson, walking to Tressider, standing in chorus rehearsal.  Definite pain to walk back to the car afterwards; feel like merely putting weight on that foot was painful.

-1/15.  Tried to stay off feet.  Mildly painful walking to lunch, but apparently fine walking back.  Had the funny knee thing happen again.

- 1/16: Picked up orthotics.  Immediate adjustment of arch support forward in both feet.   Came back later for second adjustment of left foot.  Feet hurt from pressure spots on orthotics.  Spent too much time on feet again, between walking back and forth to shoe shop and choir rehearsal in evening.  In pain at end of rehearsal.  Fine sitting, but hurts as soon as I stand up.

-1/17: Tried to stay off feet.  Still hurts when I stand up and move, drat it.

-1/18: Tried to stay off feet. 
  - Back to shoe shop: have noticed that feet tend to slide forward onto arch supports on both feet, more so on left: this is part of why it feels like arch support is too far back.  Adjustment made; problem alleviated somewhat. 
  - Also noted that pain had largely apparently moved from side of ankle to rear, asked about that.  Owner suggested calf stretching in addition to lunges that I've been doing occasionally.  (Pressure being taken off side by orthotics; there may have been some strain in the rear already that wasn't perceivable through the side-pain, but is perceivable now.)
  - Purchase light ankle brace thing from Longs for wearing during the day.

-1/19: Woke up ~5:30 AM partially by huz getting up, and partially because my right knee aches a lot, just under lower half of patella.  When I actually get up, notice that it hurts to bend.  Great, am I developing a secondary case of patellar tendonitis??  Gets better soon; aches again right after I get out of hot shower.

Additional suggestions on ankle improvement (and indications as to how long it may take to fully heal?) welcome.  Pain is tedious, and I want it over with.  (Of course, compared with hoshikage, I have really minimal amounts to complain about!)

Comments

[emilymorgan.livejournal.com]

I don't know if ankle-tendinitis is similar to foot-tendinitis, but I had the latter a couple years ago. In my case it manifested as this bizarre thing where I could walk for ~20min on a given day pain-free, and then all subsequent walking on that day was painful almost to the point of tears.

I found that although it was really hard to do (hello, student here!), staying off my feet was really helpful. I was back to normal within maybe 6 weeks of really not walking a lot. (It's threatened to come back a couple times since, but I've headed it off at the pass by not walking much for a couple days.)

I also suggest asking un_petit_mot. She reeeeally knows about this stuff.

[amethyst73.livejournal.com]

Thank you!

(The thought of 6 weeks of inactivity is a bummer...)

[emilymorgan.livejournal.com]

It is. :( I remember being indignant when the doctor told me not to walk (and I probably exaggerate how strictly I was able to hold to it.) I believe un_petit_mot found that her ankle problems were far less aggravated by biking than by walking or running, since the bike bears most of the body's weight.

[hoshikage.livejournal.com]

Hate to add on to the bad news, but I've heard the same thing about tendonitis - as in, the only cure is staying off it (for much longer than seems reasonable, really), and then easing very slowly back into full activity, keeping careful watch for any warning signs along the way. Because if you start feeling pain again, you've already pushed it too far and set yourself back all over again. Tendonitis sucks, and is very stubborn and hard to get rid of.