Foot pain (and hi!)

[papa_lazarou87]

Hi guys, only just noticed the forum recently and thought I'd join, so hello to you all!

 

I will have been in Thailand two weeks come Friday, here for a two month stint of training. Prior to this I've trained Muay Thai 1.5-3 hours a week for about 8 months (plus weights twice a week and the occasional run). Out here I've therefore tried to hold back with the volume of training in order to build up to (hopefully) twice a day, six days a week.

 

However on Saturday at training I felt a sharp twinge on my left achilles heal as I was kneeing and teeping the bag. Wasn't too concerned, had this briefly around a year ago due to my work and a lack of stretching. A trip to the physio back then had the tight calf muscle loosened out and the pain had gone within a few days. I therefore spent Sunday trying to roll out my calves using a deodorant can along with lots of stretching. However the pain seemed to spread to the sides of my foot and included a popping sensation. I went for a massage on Monday morning which didn't really help and ended up missing training then as well as yesterday due to the lingering pain on just the outside of my foot (the achilles and inside felt fine by then). The pain on the outside was below and behind the boney bit and was when walking for example. I then found that rolling the outside of my lower leg seemed to help, a lot.

 

This morning the pain had pretty much gone as well as most of the popping so after strapping the foot with kinesiology tape and donning an anklet for compression I decided to train this afternoon. It felt fine until half way through the session when I pivoted to kick whilst training pads and felt a small pop on the outside of the foot, followed by not so much as pain but just a bit of a discomfort. I finished off the session and it was whilst cooling down with some stretching that a sharp shooting pain started up. This seems to have subsided a bit now but it's clear that my foot definitely needs some attention, maybe it was a bad move going along today after all?

 

Although the random sharp pain remains I seem to be okay walking as well as raising up on to my toes. Not too sure what I've done but there's no swelling, although the side of my left leg etc feels tight and hard and the pain occasionally travels up in to the leg. Pointing my toes outwards also has a limited range of motion compared to the other foot, although I first noticed this a couple of months ago and in hindsight should have investigated it then.

 

I'm really hoping that it might just be a case of a good massage to the outer leg followed by a couple of days rest might, like last time, free everything up with a quick return to normal. However I think that would be very lucky on my part if that is the case! I should add that I'm hypermobile so I'm not too worried about the popping sensation right now, this seems to come and go with me.

 

Anyway sorry for the long post, I'm interested to hear your opinions/experiences.

 

Cheers

[Sylvie von Duuglas-Ittu]

Hi guys, only just noticed the forum recently and thought I'd join, so hello to you all!

 

I will have been in Thailand two weeks come Friday, here for a two month stint of training. Prior to this I've trained Muay Thai 1.5-3 hours a week for about 8 months (plus weights twice a week and the occasional run). Out here I've therefore tried to hold back with the volume of training in order to build up to (hopefully) twice a day, six days a week.

 

However on Saturday at training I felt a sharp twinge on my left achilles heal as I was kneeing and teeping the bag. Wasn't too concerned, had this briefly around a year ago due to my work and a lack of stretching. A trip to the physio back then had the tight calf muscle loosened out and the pain had gone within a few days. I therefore spent Sunday trying to roll out my calves using a deodorant can along with lots of stretching. However the pain seemed to spread to the sides of my foot and included a popping sensation. I went for a massage on Monday morning which didn't really help and ended up missing training then as well as yesterday due to the lingering pain on just the outside of my foot (the achilles and inside felt fine by then). The pain on the outside was below and behind the boney bit and was when walking for example. I then found that rolling the outside of my lower leg seemed to help, a lot.

 

This morning the pain had pretty much gone as well as most of the popping so after strapping the foot with kinesiology tape and donning an anklet for compression I decided to train this afternoon. It felt fine until half way through the session when I pivoted to kick whilst training pads and felt a small pop on the outside of the foot, followed by not so much as pain but just a bit of a discomfort. I finished off the session and it was whilst cooling down with some stretching that a sharp shooting pain started up. This seems to have subsided a bit now but it's clear that my foot definitely needs some attention, maybe it was a bad move going along today after all?

 

Although the random sharp pain remains I seem to be okay walking as well as raising up on to my toes. Not too sure what I've done but there's no swelling, although the side of my left leg etc feels tight and hard and the pain occasionally travels up in to the leg. Pointing my toes outwards also has a limited range of motion compared to the other foot, although I first noticed this a couple of months ago and in hindsight should have investigated it then.

 

I'm really hoping that it might just be a case of a good massage to the outer leg followed by a couple of days rest might, like last time, free everything up with a quick return to normal. However I think that would be very lucky on my part if that is the case! I should add that I'm hypermobile so I'm not too worried about the popping sensation right now, this seems to come and go with me.

 

Anyway sorry for the long post, I'm interested to hear your opinions/experiences.

 

Cheers

You have me biting my nails reading this post; I'm very worried that your Achilles tendon is trying to snap and that's quite scary. But because you aren't worried like that and you say you've felt this kind of popping thing before, I'll trust that it's not as dire as it sounds. The rolling and compression seems like a great idea, but I might suggest you use heat treatment as well. Hot towels or come kind of hot water bottle, but they do sell disposable heat patches at most Family Mart and 7-11's in the first aid sections. Those might not fit on this area and you can't cut them to size, so not sure if that will work.

My Achilles get tight sometimes and I kneel on the ground, put a 2 liter bottle or foam roller (whatever you have) on the bottom of my calves, behind the heels, and then basically sit down on the roller across the legs to create pressure. You might be able to wiggle your ankle to a position where you're getting the outside of the leg, where you said you felt some relief from rolling before.

But please be careful and warm that sucker up really well before you train.

[papa_lazarou87]

The popping is from the side of the foot so I think one of the peroneal tendons is the culprit. The reason I was not worried is because, and correct me if I'm wrong, such a symptom tends to mean the tendon has come out of place? I've had such symptoms before and touch wood it has never been anything like that. Normally without any problems I can occasionally get a pop out of my ankle when squatting for example and my shoulders make a variety of horrible noises some times, despite being healthy (I do a lot of rotator cuff work). I'll take on board what you're saying about it could be the tendon about to give out though, definitely don't want that!

 

I dug my finger in to the boney bit on the side of my instep earlier and gave it a bit of a massage. The shooting pain has now largely stopped strangely. I think I'll look at seeing a physio to find out exactly what is going on. If I remember right the issue with my achilles last year was due to the tightness of my calf muscle blocking up the lower leg and causing a pain referral in to the ankle. I'm really hoping some thing similar is simply the case this time!

 

Thanks for the advice, it's all good maintenance to keep things ticking over.

 

Edit: to add I've just rubbed some ibuprofren cream in to the tendon running up from the knobbley bit of the ankle and it's literally like a guitar string. Definitely some treatment in order.

[Michelle Nicole]

So, question, how are you stretching your calf out ? Reason I'm asking as I am also hypermobile and have had similar sensations. It turned out to be that I wasn't stretching the Achilles part at all. It took a few weeks of stretching and massage and correcting how I stand to get it working without pain. (I have high arches as well and would end up rolling my foot inward when standing and stepping.)

[papa_lazarou87]

I go with the standard foot a couple of feet back behind with leg kept straight and then lean forward in to the stretch, however I tend to feel it more in the overall calf than specifically my achilles. I some times do the one where you put your foot against a wall in front and then lean in to it. That always hits my achilles well, but I actually find it some times hurts afterwards, like a strained sensation. How about yourself?

 

I woke up this morning with the shooting pain completely gone and just an ache in the leg and ankle. I found a physio via Facebook so went along this afternoon. I'm pleased to say I was told it was pretty much what I hoped it would be: tightness down the side of the leg causing inflammation in the ankle. I had some really thorough treatment culminating in two physios working out the tightness, painful! My calf is weaker on that side which probably contributed so I've been given a resistance band exercise to strengthen it up, I've got a better ROM in the ankle now as well. Been told to basically do what Sylvie said above as maintenance and to also specify for the sides of my legs to be done when I go for massages. The physio also said I should be okay to train tomorrow, will just have to be warey of what is a weak spot for now!

 

Was very impressed with the level of treatment. If anyone in Phuket needs physio I really recommend Clinic Andaman near Chalong police station.

[Flora]

Hi !

I hope your foot feels better, if not, I might suggest something.

So from what I understood, it is just inflammation from your muscle (I though it could be from the musculus extensor digitorum longus, which woud cause to compress nerves that are responsible for moving your toes (theses nerves are in the back of the leg, and near the achille tendon), or it could have been a tendinitis of your calcaneal tendon (lucky it isn't this))

As I understand you are living in Thailand, I guess finding essential oil isn't a big trouble there, if you are interested, you can message me, and I can tell you what kind of essential oil mix you can try for your pain (but I would need a bit more of talking with you, and some research too). 
PS: I'm no wizard, just studying that topics (and when I have injuries I usually heal myself with essential oil). 

[Fighting Frog]

If you get a popping sensation in the back of the ankle again, or if this pain comes back, gently feel with your thumb or finger up and down the Achilles' tendon. If there is a 'dink' or interruption /notch/dent in the otherwise smooth firm tendon then you have major trouble because your tendon has snapped or has nearly so. Also it will probably be hard to raise and lower your foot from the ankle. It may hurt, it may not be especially painful. When the Achilles goes people usually hear and feel a definite snap, crack or pop, and are immediately lame. And you will need an operation within a few days. If you have had similar ankle problems in the past then your travel insurance may not pay for your treatment in Thailand.

Sorry to be looking on the very pessimistic side. Hope it turns out to be just a bit of swelling as suspected.

[Rachel Bond]

since my last post i have been advised to apply for physio, to continue using ice packs and anti inflammatries and stretching exercises to deal with tendonittis. This condition is common amongst 40 + women.

​i am therefore returning to training and going to dose up on some painkillers before i go. the nurse said it could take a year for my tendon to heal and then its not likely..its a condition you ve got to live with.

im not exactly happy about that its very painful and inhibits my practice on the left side. 

​I'm just going to see how it goes. if the tendon snaps..ill have to deal with that then, but it doesn't look like it will at the moment.

im not sitting on it for a year tho and doing only gentle stretching exercises which is what they suggest. they also suggest a heel instep in my shoe.

:(