post tib tendonitis, tendon tear, or stress fx? anyone?

Options
marathonchick1994
marathonchick1994 Posts: 5
in Fitness and Exercise
Hi! I'm a runner and have been having some inner ankle pain. It started about 7 weeks ago...When I run, my inner ankle, behind the ankle, and part of my calf hurts. It starts out as very little pain, halfway through the run it'll hurt more, and stay at that level of pain through the end of the run. Never really gets worse after the midway point of my run. The best way to describe the pain is that it's a weakness sensation, feels like my ankle/shin is going to give out. This definitely doesn't feel like my typical case of shin splints. It's only on one leg and it's the opposite. Normally shin splints hurt for the first 15/20 min of the run and ease up. Mine starts out hurting through the run mild pain, but gets worse and stays the same. It hurts to palpate on one spot but I have to get my finger deep where the muscle attaches to the tibia and it stings/burns. But to tap it or just touch it regularly it doesn't hurt at all, and I can easily pass the hop on one leg test. Sometimes when I'm resting or after running, if I move my leg wrong, it sends major pain that only last a few seconds then it's gone. Walking for a long period of time (or standing) seems to aggravate it too. And I don't have pain on every single run. I'd say about 85% of my runs I get pain. It burns to stretch that muscle (in runners stretch position).

Has anyone had this pain before? Had posterior tibial tendonitis? Tibial tendon tear? Or a tibial stress fracture?

Some insight or anyone who has experienced this, share please! It would be greatly appreciated.

Replies

  • mjudd1990
    mjudd1990 Posts: 219 Member
    Options
    How are your shoes? If you over pronate when you run it could put undue stress on your tibialis posterior or structures like the deltoid ligment which are all in close proximity to the medial malleolus (that bump on the inside of your ankle). I wouldn't think tibial stress fractures would be consistent and would hurt in the same place and would hurt everytime you ran. In any case it sounds like a textbook overuse injury so my advice regardless of the specific etiology is just to lay off of it for a few days and be sure to ice it.
  • marathonchick1994
    marathonchick1994 Posts: 5
    Options
    I could use a shoe replacement... Usually when that's the case, the pain happens on both legs though. I've only had my shoes for 2 months. I had the MRI this morning... When I noticed the injury I took 3 days off and still had issues with it, so i guess i'll find out eventually. Thinking Tendonitis.
  • KatieMae75
    KatieMae75 Posts: 391 Member
    Options
    Mjudd is right about overpronation. It can cause medial ankle and knee pain, and can end up affecting the lateral hip too. The trick is to find out if you do over pronate, and why.
    http://www.active.com/running/articles/overpronation-why-it-happens-and-what-you-should-do-about-it
  • timeasterday
    timeasterday Posts: 1,368 Member
    Options
    I went through PTT about a year ago. 6 weeks off from running helped a lot and the DR suggested an insert like Superfeet. When I restarted running again I would occasionally have mild pain in the same spot but nothing major. Later I had some issues with my hip and the therapist identified several weaknesses and an overall imbalance in my hips. One thing she mentioned was that PTT can be associated with weak hips. Weak hips cause the knees to buckle inwards while running, putting extra stress on the post tib tendon and the IT band. And make sure you have shoes that match your pronation style.
  • marathonchick1994
    marathonchick1994 Posts: 5
    Options
    Thank you everyone... Yeah i wear custom made orthotics. I had my MRI done this morning so i will post back next wednesday when i find out results... I was shopping today and after 30 minutes my leg was killing me... Booooo.
  • No_Finish_Line
    No_Finish_Line Posts: 3,661 Member
    Options
    kinda suprised they did an MRI.

    I've never experienced this but i did tear a muslce in my forearm, that lead to problems in my tricep and wicked tendoitis/tennis elbow.

    Taking time off and PT now will save you a lot of time in the long run. I mean you'll spend less time off healing because you will have to take time off to heal

    i did not accept that, and i turned something that could have probably been solved in a month into an injury thats last about 8 months and will probably be a chronic thing i have to deal with for my entire life
  • amandarunning
    amandarunning Posts: 306 Member
    Options
    I had a tibial stress fracture which I turned into a full blown fracture when running a marathon on it. I felt a deep sort of soreness in my ankle (medial side) when walking downstairs the week before - when the foot was suspended. Started the marathon feeling uneasy and wasn't sure what was going on, but hey that's distance running and soreness kind of part of the game. I also had some tib post tendon issues but as a result of the bone injury...

    The rest is a long story and why I no longer run so take it easy until you get the MRI results.
  • marathonchick1994
    marathonchick1994 Posts: 5
    Options
    No finish line: Why are you surprised they did an MRI? It's not normal for a leg to randomly give out. Tells me something's wrong... He thinks it's a stress fracture but wants to confirm before we take an aggressive approach to treatment (not running the marathon that's in a month).

    Ananda running: did your deep soreness stop you "dead in your tracks?" I heard stress fractures are realllllllllly painful but I have a high pain tolerance and my ankle gets aggravated just by walking around in a store for more than 30 min. I'm going to take it easy and rest up til I get the MRI results.
  • amandarunning
    amandarunning Posts: 306 Member
    Options
    No finish line: Why are you surprised they did an MRI? It's not normal for a leg to randomly give out. Tells me something's wrong... He thinks it's a stress fracture but wants to confirm before we take an aggressive approach to treatment (not running the marathon that's in a month).

    Ananda running: did your deep soreness stop you "dead in your tracks?" I heard stress fractures are realllllllllly painful but I have a high pain tolerance and my ankle gets aggravated just by walking around in a store for more than 30 min. I'm going to take it easy and rest up til I get the MRI results.

    After about 10m in I was in so much pain I was tearful but stupidly determined to finish. As soon as I crossed the finish line I was done and couldn't bear to hold any weight on it at all. Next few days I limped, hopped, hobbled until I got some crutches and then diagnosis and a "Beckham Boot". So, in it's infancy a dull ache and at it's most broken - flipping sore!

    Rest up and be patient until you know what you're dealing with. I don't run anymore as I finally got back healthy and it broke down again - not worth making it worse...
  • No_Finish_Line
    No_Finish_Line Posts: 3,661 Member
    Options
    i don't mean to imply its not necessairy, just that i've had a few times where i thought i needed one and had to beg for it lol
  • marathonchick1994
    marathonchick1994 Posts: 5
    Options
    Gotcha No Finish Line... Makes sense! Well this was a new doctor. My old doctor always told me over and over that women aren't made to run so i'll always have an injury as long as i'm running. That was the last of him. I think I wanted the MRI more than he did just so i wasn't giving up my marathon training for nothing! He said i could treat it as he thought it was (stress fracture) or get the MRI and go from there because there is a chance it's a bad case of tendonitis.

    Amanda Running: Before the marathon, did it ever come across as calf pain? And before the marathon did you ever pass the "hop test"? I can easily pass it but afterwards my shin is sore! And my calf where the muscle meets the tibia hurts. But it's not excruciating like you've described that's for sure. I can just feel a dull deep ache.
  • amandarunning
    amandarunning Posts: 306 Member
    Options
    Never felt it in the calf at all. Always very low in tibia/ankle area. I didn't try the hop test beforehand. Doc thought it was a navicular fracture so was surprised when the MRI came back with such significant bone injury to my tibia. The MRI is your friend and will give you everything you need. I understand you need to know now what you're dealing with but try to be patient and wait for the results as nothing you can do until then in terms of treatment, rehab etc.

Categories