Hello all,
Back in June of 2013 I started to experience pain in my left Achilles about 2 miles into my run, fully barefoot. I immediately stopped and walked home. For months I didn't run, tried ice, tried rest, tried massage and nothing did it.
In early January I saw my Rheumatologist for follow up on my Psoriatic Arthritis. He took x-rays on the achilles which showed nothing but he did feel a sizeable lump in the tendon and suggested PT. I did 2 months, the electro-stim felt great, the ice and massage felt great and I did regain a lot of strength and flexibility that I didn't realize i had lost in 6 months of favoring that leg. But it hasn't "cured" it. I still have pain and stiffness any time I sit for a while, mornings when I get up. I'm learning to mange it and continuing my stretches, squats and lunges but I want it gone.
My Rheumy thinks it may just be related to the PsA and has recently changed my meds to hopefully drive it back. However my PT put me on this ALine platform and said I am very pronated on that left foot and she thinks that could be a contributing factor. So she suggested orthotics.
Bottom line, I've never had gait issue or other issue before, and I had been working into BF running for 3 years prior to this with no problem other than being out of shape. I really am most comfortable barefoot or in very minimalist shoes and I'd love to be able to continue in those and get back to running. But if orthotics will help I'll give them a shot. I'd love to be pain free more than anything but I don't want to go back to being heavily shod the rest of my life.
Could a pronation really be causing so much inflammation in that tendon and am I headed back to "Real Shoes" for good?
Thanks in advance for any and all opinions. I figured some Barefoot friendly docs would be a good place to start.
-Chad
Back in June of 2013 I started to experience pain in my left Achilles about 2 miles into my run, fully barefoot. I immediately stopped and walked home. For months I didn't run, tried ice, tried rest, tried massage and nothing did it.
In early January I saw my Rheumatologist for follow up on my Psoriatic Arthritis. He took x-rays on the achilles which showed nothing but he did feel a sizeable lump in the tendon and suggested PT. I did 2 months, the electro-stim felt great, the ice and massage felt great and I did regain a lot of strength and flexibility that I didn't realize i had lost in 6 months of favoring that leg. But it hasn't "cured" it. I still have pain and stiffness any time I sit for a while, mornings when I get up. I'm learning to mange it and continuing my stretches, squats and lunges but I want it gone.
My Rheumy thinks it may just be related to the PsA and has recently changed my meds to hopefully drive it back. However my PT put me on this ALine platform and said I am very pronated on that left foot and she thinks that could be a contributing factor. So she suggested orthotics.
Bottom line, I've never had gait issue or other issue before, and I had been working into BF running for 3 years prior to this with no problem other than being out of shape. I really am most comfortable barefoot or in very minimalist shoes and I'd love to be able to continue in those and get back to running. But if orthotics will help I'll give them a shot. I'd love to be pain free more than anything but I don't want to go back to being heavily shod the rest of my life.
Could a pronation really be causing so much inflammation in that tendon and am I headed back to "Real Shoes" for good?
Thanks in advance for any and all opinions. I figured some Barefoot friendly docs would be a good place to start.
-Chad