Hi,
I have read many threads on this board and have a question for those that have posterior tibial tendon pain. Where did your pain start, was it in your foot, your ankle or your lower leg. I have been diagnosed with tendonitis in this tendon before, and the pain is back. I also have plantar faciitis in this foot, so have pain from that as well. Thanks for any input.
As far back as I can trace it, I used to get some pain just above my ankle and inside of my shin... best I can explain it. It would happen when I ran... I thought it was shin splints -- and maybe it was, but I never got it in the other foot/leg. This could've been the beginning of the end for me. I, too had plantar fasciitis in that foot a few years ago. It only lasted a short time, but maybe THAT was the beginning of it... sooo hard to tell.
Quote:
Originally Posted by maggietaz
Hi,
I have read many threads on this board and have a question for those that have posterior tibial tendon pain. Where did your pain start, was it in your foot, your ankle or your lower leg. I have been diagnosed with tendonitis in this tendon before, and the pain is back. I also have plantar faciitis in this foot, so have pain from that as well. Thanks for any input.
I think it was the same for me--starting in the tendon area itself, sometimes up to the shin (almost like shin splints, but on the inside of the calf). Also, I noticed my arch falling and had some pain around that. It just didn't feel right and nothing I did could make it feel like it had...hard to know exactly when it began, probably pretty subtle initially.
I may be a little unusual in that my pain was not noticeable in the tendon area itself. My pain was lateral where I was impinging due to pronation. I had gradually pronated more and more without really noticing until the impingement pain started.
Yeah, mine was on the inside -- kinda between my calf and shin, though I initially described it as being by my shin. I didn't notice my arch falling any worse than normal at the time -- I've always had flat feet and weak arches, so I'd have to say that didn't change. Something else happened a few years after that. I fell crossing a street and twisted that ankle so badly my leg was black and blue all the way above my knee for about a month.... very odd....
Quote:
Originally Posted by sunny77
I think it was the same for me--starting in the tendon area itself, sometimes up to the shin (almost like shin splints, but on the inside of the calf). Also, I noticed my arch falling and had some pain around that. It just didn't feel right and nothing I did could make it feel like it had...hard to know exactly when it began, probably pretty subtle initially.
Hi
I had pain around my inner ankle bone off and on for about 3 years prior to having an MRI followed by surgery. I have always had very flat feet, so the fallen arch didn't present itself until the last few months.
Blessings
Rita
Thanks for all of the feedback everyone! I can't figure it out, most of the time the pain is along the inside of my leg, midcalf height, sometime it is around the ankle bone. Guess it is time to go back to the doctor - I hate this, seems like I get better for a few months and then it flairs up again.
Mine never bothered me too much painwise, not enough that I actually went and had it checked out. I wish I had because maybe I could've avoided the tendon totally being severed... maybe I could have just gotten it fixed instead. If I were you, I would get to the doctor and maybe even let him/her talk you into some orthotics. at the least.
Quote:
Originally Posted by maggietaz
Thanks for all of the feedback everyone! I can't figure it out, most of the time the pain is along the inside of my leg, midcalf height, sometime it is around the ankle bone. Guess it is time to go back to the doctor - I hate this, seems like I get better for a few months and then it flairs up again.
I'm sorry you're having so much pain...it gets frustrating, but you have to keep on top of it. I started having pain in the inner ankle (of my right foot) about 10 years ago. It came and went. It didnt seem like a big deal back then. I noticed it got worse if I exercised hard or if I ran or if I was on my feet just way too much. As the years went on, the inner ankle pain became much sharper...before it was just a dull pain. The pain radiated to the arch area and then up the back of my calf. I knew something must be "brewing" in my foot, but I just never really got an answer. I usually just got a cortisone shot and was sent out the door.
I ended up having PTTD surgery last summer and I feel much better. I have a couple of screws that will be coming out soon since they are a bit bothersome.
All in all though, what's upsetting about posterior tibial tendon dysfunction is that it just kinda sneaks up on you...it starts out like no big deal. And, then its so misdiagnosed by most podiatrists. And, by the time most people realize what may be happening, the posterior tibial tendon is so far gone that most of us end up with major surgery. It's sad in a way, but then again, I feel blessed that I got an incredible surgeon. I went with an orthopaedic surgeon who understood and explained to me in detail what was going on.
I had seen a podiatrist (actually several) and none of them really felt the sense of urgency I had regarding how much pain I was in. I wanted my pain to go away and wanted to know what was causing it, and most of them brushed it off as 'well, what do you expect from such flat feet'. For all the $$$$ I have wasted on prior medical visits, physical therapy, braces and splints, and the myriad of orthotics I've bought and thrown away, I could have purchased me a nice little car!
I do have orthodics and strangely enough I have high arches, although the left one does look a little lower then the right. I did a little light jogging on Thursday and that may have stirred something up as well as I have been working out more then in the past several months. Guess I will make an appt. with the ortho doctor , haven't seen him since December. Thanks for the help.
Maggie, I had high arches before my surgery, too. I was never flat footed. But after things started going bad when I put weight on my bad foot the arch pretty much disappeared.
The problem I had was I didn't have pain in the PTT area, just a general achiness. My pain was lateral where I was impinged due to pronation. I just ignored it (stupid I know) because I could relieve it with rest. When it got to the point where it hurt every day I finally went to a regular ortho. He ordered an MRI which showed the PTT problem. He put me in a boot for a month which didn't help, then a cast for a month, then sent me to a foot and ankle specialist. It wasn't until then that I realized I was so pronated because he pointed it out to me. He tried NWB in a cast for another 6 weeks. Then he put me back in the boot and scheduled surgery. So I guess I progressed over a year without knowing what was going on. I was too far gone by the time I was diagnosed. But I have talked to people who were diagnosed fairly early and managed it with orthotics and bracing until they decided to have surgery-sometimes years later.
Thanks Emmie. I have a foot and ankle specialist who did the surgery on my peroneal tendons in both ankles. I put my AFO brace on today and it doesn't really feel that much better. I am going to the POD tomorrow to pick up a pair of orthodics that were being remade -I currently have a pair that is fine. So, I will talk to him about it.
Nancy
Hi, I'm new here and have just been diagnosed with pttd in my right foot after having an mri scan, and i'm pretty sure i have the same problem in the left as well. I've had 2 lots of orthotics prescribed by podiatrists over the last 5 or 6 years but these have not solved the problem so far , but my specialist has referred me to an orthitist to see if he can make some up out of different material as a last resort. If after 6 weeks i still have no relief, then surgery is probable so i was wondering if someone can give me an idea of how long the surgery takes, outcomes etc....any feedback would be great!
If you put PTT and PTTD in the search on this board you will find LOTS of information. If you aren't successful I will be happy to repeat some of it for you.
Simon,
Sounds like you've been dealing with this for a long time and it unfortunately comes to surgery for many. What the pain will be like, how long the surgery will last, how long you will be non weightbearing (NWB), if you will do PT, etc. all depends on the specific procedures your dr does. As my dr told me, there is more than one way to skin a cat. Generally speaking, the recovery from surgery takes up to a year (full results won't be seen until then).
I've had both of my feet fixed due to PTTD, the first in May 2007 and the second in Feb 2008. The surgeries took a little more than an hour (many take longer) and for the first one I stayed overnight in the hospital. The second I had a popliteal block (numb foot for 12 hrs), so went home after surgery. There was a splint for 2 wks, then a cast or boot for 4 wks (so a total of 6 wks NWB), then a boot for 4 wks while bearing weight as tolerated. I had almost the exact same procedures done in both, but have had different experiences in recovery. The second time around I've had less swelling, less pain overall, have been able to go immediately from NWB to FWB in the boot. I'm in PT now, just had my 2nd session. I want to be able to run starting in July, which is about 4 months post-op. So, it's hard to say exactly what your experience could be like. But, there are a lot of people who've gone through this type of surgery (many different procedures) on this board. Read through the threads...you'll learn a lot. And ask whatever you want, you'll get some responses!
Krista
Well, saw the POD today, got the other orthodics. He suggested going back to the ortho. doctor and seeing what other ideas he might have. They seem to think that this is a stubborn case of tendonitis, that is what they said last time. I understand tendonitis as I have had it many times and in most cases I have ended up having to have surgery as it doesn't get better on it's own.
Any thoughts would be appreciated. I am at my wit's end as I want to work out and ride the bike and get my legs in good shape - as well as the rest of me.
Nancy
thanks for the tips guys - i have found some useful information in the search.
i also wanted to ask if anybody has had any other lower limb pathology that they may think has caused, or is related to thier pttd issues? i was diagnosed with bi lateral hip displaysia about 5 years ago and have had arthriscopic surgey on both hips, the left one first and then the right. after having my left hip done i recovered quite well (it took about a year) and was wearing orthotics during this time, but after having my right hip scoped 2 years later, my whole pelvic/foot stability seemed to diminish and i definately got worse. the comment i kept hearing was "oh, you must play sport" to which i would reply "no, i play guitar!" its only now that i finally know that there was a serious problem with my feet, and i keep thinking that maybe if i'd ditched the podiatrists and gotten onto a foot specialist earlier, this crap may not have dragged on as long as it has. i ended up going to my local gp and asking him to write me a referal for a foot specialist that i found myself because the podiatrist that i was seeing had no other suggestions even after i had described how bad my pain had been. i guess i could be drawing a long bow here, but i really think the pttd has had a lot to do with the degeneration of my hips as my gait has been pretty awkward for a while, due to all this lower limb pain which over the years has gotten worse. anyway we all have our battles here , i'd just be interested to here of any similar stories - its strangely comforting knowing that you're not the only one suffering with this type of thing!
cheers,
simon
Last edited by julsim; 04-14-2008 at 08:47 PM.
Reason: more to say!
Simon, be sure to ask whatever is not answered in the previous threads. We will be happy to answer what we can. It's a scary surgery in many ways as the recovery is rather long but you should be much better after surgery. Don't be too afraid of those of us who have ongoing problems. People who have an easy recovery and successful surgery tend to go on with their lives and don't post anymore. I'm sure you will do fine.
