[Rose76]

I've started to have constant pain in the back of my left heel. There is this big bony bump on the back of my heel right where the Achilles tendon attaches. An X-ray has shown "ossification" of the tendon. It's been sore when I walk for months, but got much worse right after Christmas. I'm limping a lot of the time now, walking so as to put as little strain as possible on that tendon. It's a constant sore pulling sensation. Sometimes I get real sharp painful pulling sensations that only last a moment.

My doctor said the surgery for this is risky and can have a bad outcome.

I've been getting really depressed, and I think this is a lot of the cause. I feel like I've got something hampering me that I really can't do anything about.

Anybody know anything about this? I think it is called Achilles Tendonosis. The bony bump is called a Calcaneal Exostosis (or spur). This bump probably started growing years ago, but I just didn't notice it until 6 months ago. For many years, especially when I worked on my feet a lot, I would find my heels very stiff to walk on in the morning.

[Perna]

I was given too much Levaquin http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/0...-effects/?_r=0 before the black box warning and one of its side effects is having the Achilles tendon rupture ! Fortunately, mine did not (yet). I can truly say I am sorry for your pain. I did not know anything about the Achilles tendon or even think of it when I had my pain and when I told the doctor my "ankle" hurt he told me I was getting old (I was in my early 50s). It caused all kinds of things that are permanent health problems still, now.

I don't know much about it though except that I believe your doctor with the operation problems, I have read/understood that and mostly that it is a very very long debilitating recovery after messing with that tendon. You literally cannot walk. My knees are in bad shape with arthritis but I do not think I will ever get them operated on (I have asthma and other problems that would make any operation risky) so I am working hard to find what eating, drinking, exercise, usage, vitamins/minerals, etc. help most or make them feel worse, etc. and slowly (too slowly :-) working to do things that make things feel better and less things that make them feel worse.

Maybe some of these exercises could help?

Achilles Tendinitis-OrthoInfo - AAOS

[eblam81]

Hello Rose76; I was reading your post and it caught my eye because my boyfriend suffers from the same thing on his heel! It's become quite a real "pain" for him in so many ways! His real problem though, is that he doesn't have any insurance so he's had to resort to going on-line and research himself to figure out things to do to fix the issue. He went to the drug stores and found a few things from the Dr. Scholls section and bought some things there that he uses in his shoes and one strap-type thing he puts on his foot at night that he has found alleviates the pain a little bit. I hope this helps a little! Best of luck!

[Rose76]

Thank you both. On days when it's bad (after of day of exertion) this gets to where the pain is disabling. Unfortunately, as you say, Perna, surgery can have so big downside as to not be a solution to go to quickly. I'm wondering, eblam, if the strap-type thing is like a boot they use for plantar fasciitis.

Your posts guided me to some reading that gave me some things to think about. As with the Levaquin, apparently there is some correlation between taking estrogens and tendon problems. (I only found that out by looking up the Levaquin.) That gives me an incentive to try harder to get off HRT. When I looked up products to help, I saw some devices that might help, though they are not cheap. (I only found that out by looking up Dr. Scholl's products, which led me to other products.)

So thanks. I know more now than I did. I will try the exercises when the pain subsides. Sorry for boyfriend, eblam. He is probably way younger than me and already having this problem. I have a young nephew with the same thing. Apparently sports can be a cause. (He played ice hockey.)

[Rose76]

Thank you both. I did more reading based on your posts and I learned stuff I didn't know. Very interestingly, I read that taking things like aspirin and naproxen can actually interfere with healing. So I'm wiser than I was. Thanks again.

[H3rmit]

I have a problem with a different foot tendon. Physio helped. Turmeric is anti-inflammatory, so dig in with that, ginger, and garlic. If you like curry, you're in luck.

[vans1974]

Originally Posted by Rose76

I've started to have constant pain in the back of my left heel. There is this big bony bump on the back of my heel right where the Achilles tendon attaches. An X-ray has shown "ossification" of the tendon. It's been sore when I walk for months, but got much worse right after Christmas. I'm limping a lot of the time now, walking so as to put as little strain as possible on that tendon. It's a constant sore pulling sensation. Sometimes I get real sharp painful pulling sensations that only last a moment.

My doctor said the surgery for this is risky and can have a bad outcome.

I've been getting really depressed, and I think this is a lot of the cause. I feel like I've got something hampering me that I really can't do anything about.

Anybody know anything about this? I think it is called Achilles Tendonosis. The bony bump is called a Calcaneal Exostosis (or spur). This bump probably started growing years ago, but I just didn't notice it until 6 months ago. For many years, especially when I worked on my feet a lot, I would find my heels very stiff to walk on in the morning.

My brother benefited from the surgery...my mom was going to have the surgery but then just switched the shoes she was wearing and that solved it.