ankle popping, tight calves, back of ankle pain 2 years

[Santi]

I started running barefoot about 1.5 years ago. I did three or four runs that were too long and developed pain in the back of my ankle (maybe my Achilles tendon?). I rested until I felt no pain, then committed to running slow and no more than a mile every other day, but after a week or two I would start feeling the pain again. I also noticed that by the time the ankle pain arrived the whole back of my lower leg would be very sore when massaged. At this point I figured I would start even slower by cycling and hiking and massaging my legs regularly. But I can't avoid the ankle pain or the sore legs.

I never thought my Achilles was very much damaged because I couldn't replicate pain by squeezing the tendon between my fingers or replicate it by loading the tendon with calf raises or drops.

There is also some popping that seems to be in the lateral part of my ankle, like a ligament/tendon is scraping past bone. I can easily replicate it by circling my foot around. If I move my food in a counterclockwise motion it pops at 12 o'clock. if clockwise it pops at about 9 o'clock. I'm wondering if this popping happens when i run and is irritating the ligament/tendon that is popping?

I'm fairly healthy active, and my range of motion in my ankle and lower leg seems to be well within the range that is suggested on sites like the Natural Running Center. I ride my bike to and from work daily (about 25 minutes each way), hoping that some moderate exercise will get things back into working order, but nothing has changed.

any ideas/advice is very much appreciated. Thanks for taking the time to even read this.

 

[Backfixer]

To understand this, we need to be looking past barefoot running and the feet, and consider your gait process. When the problem started, there were likely other conditions surrounding the problem you are currently experiencing. When someone tells me they are getting leg soreness and then ankle pain, it means their hip flexors (muscles in the front are tight). Shortened hip flexors usually also involve tight it bands, adhesion of the fascia in the back of the knee and you are likely over and under striding and your core is likely torqued. Since you run barefoot, with a shorter stride than shod, you may not notice this as much because barefoot runners have a midfoot landing shorter stride.

Considering this, I would recommend having yourself evaluated by a sports chiropractor who is knowledeable about fascial release, ART and perhaps runners. It may be helpful to go on a treadmill and have someone take a video of you from the side. This can be quite telling but you are definitely having core issues. You did not mention it but I am assuming your neck and shoulders are also stiff which goes along with this. Sometimes you need an outsider to evaluate, since it is difficult to be objective about ourselves. If you would like, I would be happy to view the video and offer some more specific advice. Also, my book, Cheating Mother Nature, what you need to know to beat chronic pain can be quite helpful in helping you understand your own body mechanics better. You can email a video to [email protected] or upload it to youtube and post the link.