Sore Heel

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summerdays

Cycling in the sun
Location
Bristol
I've been having pains in one of my ankles, just a short sharp stab/shooting pain. It's a flick on/off pain, just a few times a day. Just managed to recreate it now by turning my foot inwards. It's behind/below the ankle bone. (In my mind it feels like there is one strand of skin isn't as stretchy as all the rest? I'm sure that's not it... but that's how localised it is).

Anyway on looking for ankle problems online.... the only one that sounds similar is Achilles Tendon problems. The one symptom that struck me was when I walk down stairs for the last week or two I've noticed my feet down feel very stiff/sort of flat footed, but only first thing in the morning.

I'm a naturally flexible sort of person, borderline hypermobile (but getting stiffer as I age).

It seems very minor at the moment and not worth bothering the GP, but I'm asking if any of you have had those sort of problems and what you did. (Sorry for the ramble)
 

Tin Pot

Guru
Doesn't sound like Achilles to me.

Try not to use awkward positions, run on uneven ground etc until it strengthens up again.
 

vickster

Legendary Member
Try massaging the area a couple of times a day with voltarol or 10% ibuprofen gel assuming you aren’t intolerant to NSAIDs

If it doesn’t resolve, find a private Sports Physio
 
OP
OP
summerdays

summerdays

Cycling in the sun
Location
Bristol
I'm happy if it's not my Achilles Tendon as a friend snapped his a year or two ago and was off the bike for ages!

I'll do a bit of massage etc. It doesn't bother me on the bike as your foot is fairly inline with your leg.
 

Spinney

Bimbleur extraordinaire
Location
Back up north
At one time I used to have hurting feet/ankles for a few minutes in the mornings. I eventually worked out that I'd been sleeping with my feet kind of wrapped around each other. Making a conscious effort to straighten my legs out more in bed made the problem go away.
May be totally unrelated, just thought I'd mention it.
 
OP
OP
summerdays

summerdays

Cycling in the sun
Location
Bristol
I have had intermittent severe pain in that area. Scans eventually showed arthritic changes in a tiny joint between little bones in the back part of my foot (where there are loads), caused by damage from being trodden on by horses a few times in the past. When tendons/ligaments run over the damaged place, sometimes it can be like a rope over a pulley that encounters a lump or knot. I was offered a steroid injection, but they really hurt and are neither certain to help nor long lasting. I chose to just accept that I have damage.
A friend tore her achilles tendon, it wasn't intermittent, and she could barely walk.
That sounds painful! Do you have it in both feet? I had a steroid injection in my thumb years ago and the pain is no where near the pain of that injection so it would have to get very bad before I considered that. I know I haven't got a ruptured tendon or even a pulled one, I was just wondering if it was an early warning sign - but I'm beginning to think it may just be one of those age things you have to get used to.
 
OP
OP
summerdays

summerdays

Cycling in the sun
Location
Bristol
No, it is only in the foot that was damaged by a huge horse stomping down on it. I thought at the time that something was broken, but at the time I needed to be mobile, not laid up in plaster, so I just ignored it. The specialist I saw recently said the outcome would probably have been the same if I had gone to A&E. It's just wear and tear, literally. The steroid injection might help with the pain but it's not a cure, there isn't one.
Even if something was broken then it might have been hard to spot with there being so many bones there I imagine!
 

Globalti

Legendary Member
When you say it's behind and below the ankle bone, do you mean behind and below the bony lump on the outside of your ankle? There is a tendon that runs down there and it's easy to get an inflammation of the tendon sheath, tendonitis, by overusing it or wearing tight boots that press on it. Inflammation feels like a sharp burning pain. Rest, ice and gentle massage with Ibuprofen gel three times a day will sort it.
 
OP
OP
summerdays

summerdays

Cycling in the sun
Location
Bristol
When you say it's behind and below the ankle bone, do you mean behind and below the bony lump on the outside of your ankle? There is a tendon that runs down there and it's easy to get an inflammation of the tendon sheath, tendonitis, by overusing it or wearing tight boots that press on it. Inflammation feels like a sharp burning pain. Rest, ice and gentle massage with Ibuprofen gel three times a day will sort it.
Yes the area you have described is correct but not a burning pain just a sharp pull? It's seemed to be better today, not sure what has made the difference.
 

Glenn

Veteran
I've had Achilles tendonitis in my right ankle on and off for the past 30 years, I now have a permanent bulge in my tendon which becomes very tender and inflamed. In the past acupuncture sorted it, but the last time it had no affect. Stretching the tendon by dropping the ankle over a step helped a little, but the main thing is to rest it.
 
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