L Lower Leg, Achilles Tendonitis
2009-03-21 – 2009-03-28
Grade: 2
I felt discomfort in the back of my left leg, about six inches above my ankle; gently squeezing the sides of my calf behind the tibia causes mild discomfort. I first observed this midway through a 70 minute run at night. The most probable cause seems to be old running shoes with poor support (the left shoe squeaks when I place my foot).
I have thrown away the old shoes, taken a rest day, stretched frequently (calf stretch mostly), gently massaged my lower calf, used a compression bandage intermittently, and taken NSAIDs when not exercising.
Continuing to use old running shoes either uniquely caused or contributed to the discomfort I was experiencing. After realizing this, I discarded my shoes and spent several days resting before resuming activity. The pain abated after this rest period, though my achilles felt a bit tight after extended use. I briefly used iced, applied heat pads, and used NSAIDs after exercising. I experimented with compression sleeves (Ace bandages) intermittently.