Ankle Tendonitis and Retro-calcaneal Bursitis in a nurse on my feet for 30 years

by flowerchild59
(IL)

I have been a nurse, on my feet, for 12 hour shifts for nearly 30 years.

That said, I developed tendonitis and probable retro-calcaneal bursitis over the past year.

I had custom orthotics made (and do wear them, BTW) and ice my ankles almost every night for the past several months. Yes, ice is my friend right now.

My pain is worse at the end of the day, so the more I am on them, the pain and swelling does increase.

I just was placed on a round of oral prednisone (doc donesn't want to inject them) and am starting physical therapy this week. I think I am getting night splints to wear also.

Any one find that splints work????

Any other ideas???

Would a MRI help with diagnosis or only make the insurance companies richer since I have both to do???

I am desparately trying to avoid surgery.


----



Joshua Answers:


Hi Flowerchild.

So you're icing, good. Are you ice dipping?

Hmm, where to start....

Trying to avoid surgery: I'm with you on that one!


MRI: My view is, you already know that you hurt, what's an MRI going to tell you? In my experience, it's not going to to change any treatment, aside from confirming a doctor's desire to do surgery.

Night Splint: Any one will do. You just want to keep your foot in a flexed position all night to keep it from 'curling' like a hand with carpal tunnel can.

I don't recommend one over another because they all do the same thing, though some are more comfortable than others.

I'm generally against splints, but night splints can serve a good, temporary purpose. They 'work' in the sense that they keep tight, tightening muscles and structures lengthened. That's a good thing.

My only concern with a night splint for you is that that -may- put pressure on the bursa all night? Pay attention to that.


Physical Therapy: I don't know what the PT will do, but it will probably include ultrasound, stretching, and strengthening.

I'm not such a fan of that. From my view, what you need to do right now is to loosen, relax, open up, and lengthen all the muscles/structures of your lower legs.

You've been on your feet 30 years. Muscles get tight. They stay tight. Connective tissue shrink wraps. Time passes. Repeat.

Now everything is too tight, too short, stuck that way, and putting constant tension on, and pressur on, your feet structures, including constant pressure on the bursa.

Bursitis can be PAINFUL.

It's similar to Tendonitis in general but more stubborn, more irritable, more acute, slower to get better.

See: What Is Tendonitis?

Ice. Open up the lower leg structures with icing, massage, etc. (Hire a high school kid, for instance, to massage your lower legs for cheap. Don't worry about technique, just rub and knead your calves, soleus, feet, etc. Every day for a week.)

Natural anti-inflammatories like Omega 3's and Turmeric.

Increase your protein intake, including Bone Broth as the best Tendon Supplements.


Also:

1. How are you icing?

2. You said tendonitis. Say more about that. Plantar Fasciitis or ankle tendonitis?

3. How bad is the pain, where is it exactly, etc.







----------------------
Please reply using the comment link below. Do not submit a new submission to answer/reply, it's too hard for me to find where it's supposed to go.

And, comments have a 3,000 character limit so you may have to comment twice.
-----------------------



Joshua Tucker, B.A., C.M.T.
The Tendonitis Expert
www.TendonitisExpert.com