I’ve mentioned a pain in my left Achilles. I went to my podiatrist, who referred me to an imaging place, where I got an ultrasound. When I went back to my podiatrist, he assumed that I had a tear but was pleased that it was only a pull.
From the Mayo Clinic: “Achilles tendinitis is an injury of the Achilles (uh-KILL-eez) tendon. It can be caused by using it too much or too hard without enough rest, called overuse. Or it can develop without a clear cause.” This is the situation I’m in. I didn’t do anything that would have obviously aggravated it.
“The Achilles tendon is the band of tissue that joins calf muscles at the back of the lower leg to the heel bone.” It hurts when I walk.
My podiatrist suggested rest, and then after a couple of weeks, physical therapy. The Cleveland Clinic notes:
Nonsurgical Achilles tendinitis treatments include the RICE method:
- Rest: Stop doing activities that stress your tendon. Switch to low-impact activities, such as swimming, that put less stress on your Achilles tendon.
- Ice: Put ice on your tendon for up to 20 minutes, as needed throughout the day.
- Compression: Compress, or put pressure on, your tendon using an athletic wrap or surgical tape.
- Elevation: To reduce swelling, lie down and raise your foot on pillows so it’s above your heart.
Goody, goody. Lately, I’ve often used my cane, not just on uneven surfaces. It’s instrumental in getting off buses and down the stairs; down is harder than up. I’ll probably use an Uber more often in the near term.