Running Through Life

The above image is not my foot – I found it on http://www.wheelessonline.com as a result of a Google image search for “achilles calcification.”

So, I visited Dr. Perry H. Julien today, a noted podiatrist and runner here in Atlanta, to find out what I should do about my achilles tendinitis. He x-rayed both feet and found that I have what is known as “calcification of the achilles tendon insertion.” In plain English, it’s a spur that forms where the achilles tendon attaches to the back of the heel bone. This spur forms as a result of years of abuse: poor stretching regimen, overtraining, and bad shoes, to be precise. Although I only have pain in my right foot, I have this condition in both feet. The doctor said I’ve probably had these for at least 5 years. Yikes! I had plenty of warning signs in the form of on-and-off achilles tendinitis in both feet over the last 15 years, but because the pain eventually went away, I ignored it.

The good news is that I can keep running for years, perhaps decades to come, as long as I repent from my sins. The pain should mostly subside, but I’ve got those spurs for life. If I follow the doctor’s advice, the spurs should not get any worse. That advice includes:

• Stretch my calves 6-8 times per day, every day, 365 days a year, forever and ever, amen. Each stretching session should take about a minute: 10 seconds for the left, 10 seconds for the right, repeat 2 more times. Note that when stretching the calf, do not stretch so much that you feel it in your achilles tendon.
• Make sure I replace my running shoes promptly whenever they wear out. The general recommendation is 200-500 miles for a pair of shoes, but for me, 300 miles seems to be my absolute maximum.

While the pain lasts, he also recommends massage therapy every 7-10 days, for 2 or 3 visits, and icing the injury once or twice a day for 10-15 minutes at a time.

The good doctor also assigned me two chapters of reading from his book, Sure Footing (which he was about to give me a copy of, but I already own it). It’s a good book on running/exercise-related injuries and how to avoid them. Um… too bad I didn’t pay much attention to it until now.

One lesson learned from this experience is that I waited way too long to get the advice of a doctor. I’ve had these spurs for at least 5 years and never knew it, and I’ve experienced on-and-off tendinitis for about 15 years. For the mere price of a copay, I could have gotten advice much sooner. Luckily I finally did see the doctor before it got any worse.