What is this ankle/shin thing?

June 14, 2016 12:00 PM

I've had a nagging injury/pain thing happening toward the front of my ankle on the inside, sometimes traveling up my shin. I'd like to get back into the training/running groove I was in back in January, but I keep having to take a few days or a week off here and there and it's driving me crazy.

Hey there! I know you are not my doctor, but I have Kaiser so the odds of getting to see a helpful specialist any time soon are not great. I don't think it's posterior tibial tendonitis, because it's toward the front on the ankle and not the back, but I'm not sure. I wait tables, and I love to run, but lately my body had been rebelling.

I was running about thirty miles a week before this all started happening, and I've been slowly trying to ramp back up to that, but I keep getting stopped by pain in my left ankle. I am pretty sure that I oversupinate, not overpronate, because my shoes wear out in a pattern that suggest that I roll my feet outward, I have high arches, and I'm Pilates instructor so I'm pretty aware of my body.

This ankle thing seems to be brought about by running, but gets worse at work. I wear Dansko clogs when I'm working - maybe they're not helping?

It starts out very mild, and can progress to a sharp pain every time I take a step. It doesn't hurt on impact, but it hurts to do a single leg raise. The area just above my ankle bone on the inside (toward the front) is tender to the touch. It's not something that appears while I'm running - it just hurts all the time until it stops hurting. I also feel like my mobility is my left ankle is compromised, but I've always had pretty tight ankles/achilles.

What I've tried so far: Bought new shoes (Asics Gel Cumulus). Rest. Ibuprofen.

I was really hoping to run a half marathon by the end of the summer. Any advice? I'm trying to see a doctor or physical therapist soon and cross-training (mostly Pilates) as much as possible.

posted by ablazingsaddle to Health & Fitness (11 answers total)

Who recommended the Cumulus for you?

Also, how much of a rest have you taken? If you have a shin splint, which it sounds like you might, 3-4 weeks completely off your feet, other than walking around to work, etc. is the only thing that's going to heal it, other than strengthening exercises.
posted by roomthreeseventeen at 12:09 PM on June 14, 2016

Seconding that it sounds like a shin splint. Rest is definitely indicated. I know it stinks – I broke my arm last October and it was the first time in my life I had to do nothing but walk (and even then, only when necessary) – but this IS what you need.

Also for ref, I ran loads of cross-country growing up and would get shin splints on the regular. Rest was what doctors and coaches insisted upon. I don't get shin splints now because the type of shoes I need (zero drop) finally exist.

Also wondering where the rec for the new shoes came from and what the reasons for it are. In any case your body needs to heal first, exercise second.
posted by fraula at 12:22 PM on June 14, 2016

Response by poster: To explain the shoes: I have really, really narrow feet and ASICS and Mizunos have been recommended to me as most narrow. I've had other brands of shoes in narrow sizes that didn't fit. I had been wearing Mizuno Wave Riders for a couple years and switched over to Asics just to see if it would help.

I also have some tendonitis issues in my big toe on my right foot, and I thought a cushier shoe would help.
posted by ablazingsaddle at 12:40 PM on June 14, 2016

Sounds like shin splints to me as well.
posted by axismundi at 1:23 PM on June 14, 2016

I had a pretty narsty case of PF many years ago that was exacerbated by wearing horrible shoes at work (like, years old, poor fitting, any possible cushioning was gone). I got a pair of Dr. Scholl's-branded shoes that were almost like sneakers in their construction, and having proper arch support was a godsend. So maybe look for different footwear for work (especially given that you're on your feet all the time).
posted by disconnect at 1:26 PM on June 14, 2016

I'd really go to a doctor who knows about running then. I had my worst shin splints with my cushiest shoes. The zero drop shoes I have now are Merrells with minimal cushioning; I walk in even thinner-soled zero drop sneakers. And get shin splints no more. In my case (which will be different from yours, another reason being I have neutral pronation) I run with a mid-foot strike, and years of running around barefoot when I was at home and wearing Converse to walk mean that my feet and ankles are strong enough to handle it... IF I'm not compensating for squishy shoes. In short my feet need to feel the ground, then all is well.

Your gait, strength, etc. need to be analyzed, in short. Everyone is different, and no one foot strike or shoe type is the golden rule.
posted by fraula at 1:35 PM on June 14, 2016

It IS tendonitis. That will be 12,000 kopeks, payable at the front desk
posted by Chitownfats at 2:32 PM on June 14, 2016 [1 favorite]

Sounds like tendinopathy to me, but I'm not a PT. Definitely see one. Stop running. You are probably walking funny because of the pain, maybe favouring the other foot; work your glutes on the affected side (single leg bridges, donkey kicks, hip abductions etc) to minimize compensation effects. (In my case a bad foot that went undiagnosed too long led to knee and hip issues on that side. PT helped, orthotics too - suspect I'd still be limping if I didn't have a few months of rest [on crutches :/] .) Don't wait too long to get this looked at.
posted by cotton dress sock at 4:16 PM on June 14, 2016

Response by poster: a few months of rest [on crutches :/]

OH MY GOD.

Okay, you've all officially scared the crap out of me.
posted by ablazingsaddle at 5:56 PM on June 14, 2016

See a podiatrist! I've learned the hard way not to avoid dealing with a niggling chronic foot pain.
posted by emd3737 at 9:35 PM on June 14, 2016

I have Kaiser. I've found it very easy to see a podiatrist or sports medicine doctor. Have you requested that?
posted by gramcracker at 10:11 AM on June 15, 2016