Achilles Tendonitus AND Plantars Fasciitis

[Barefoot TJ]

It didn't go away on its

It didn't go away on its own. It took months.

The pain started to get extreme after taking antibiotics (for rosacea, no less; how vain of me?) for two weeks. Not only did the PF get so bad after taking the antibiotics that every step I took felt like the tissue was separating from the bone in my right foot, but I also had pain that started at my left wrist and traveled through my arm and into my chest. It got so bad, I couldn't type on the keyboard (as many of you remember, I started using voice recognition software). The strangest thing was that while I was laid up in bed those weeks, I developed a strong case of Achilles Tendonitis. Now how does someone get AT from lying around in bed for weeks?

The MRI didn't show any ruptures or tears in my feet, so the doctor said it must be just strong inflammation.

After stopping the antibiotics, I started to improve. Then I started taking prescribed anti-inflammatories, and that put out a great deal of the pain, but the PF was still present, and the sunburn on the bottom of my inner arch was there.

Only after taking high-dose "refrigerated" probiotics for about three to fours months did it finally go away.

Now that I had these surgeries and had to take antibiotics again, I feel the sunburn feeling on the bottom of my arch (same place) again, and I'm having pain in my left wrist.

I've been taking probiotics through this, but apparently the antibiotics are stronger. Now that I have stopped taking the antibiotics, I hope that the probiotics will be able to correct the damage done.

What's unusual is that the antibiotics I took (both times) are not quinolone/floroquinoline antibiotics, the ones known for causing tendon/fascia ruptures and tears. Google "quinolone/floroquinoline tendon rupture." Everything I have read says that runners should not take quinolone/floroquinolines due to the risk of increased tendon/fascia ruptures.

These were tetracyclines, but apparently, I don't tolerate them well. It's like a car without oil. The antibiotics strip me of my oil. The probiotics add the oil back.

If you can avoid quinolone/floroquinoline antibiotics, do so. And only take antibiotics if you have a serious reason to do so. If it weren't for having these surgeries, I wouldn't have taken them again.

EDIT:

I should add, that I can understand why I could be getting PF right now. I mean, as I'm walking around (not much) putting more weight on the backs of my feet at the heels than the front, since I can't put weight on the balls of my feet, but it's the sunburn feeling on the inside of my feet at the inner arch that concerns me, again, about this round of antibiotics.

 

[Barefoot TJ]

I should add, that I can

I should add, that I can understand why I could be getting PF right now. I mean, as I'm walking around (not much) putting more weight on the backs of my feet at the heels than the front, since I can't put weight on the balls of my feet, but it's the sunburn feeling on the inside of my feet at the inner arch that concerns me, again, about this round of antibiotics.

 

[jimwb]

TJ,Have you looked at the

TJ,

Have you looked at the book, Never Be Sick Again by Raymond Francis? Some of it is really out there and hard to believe, but it does make you look at things differently especially at the over use of drugs such as antibiotics that may have very serous consequences. I know I have given my kids antibiotics several times without thinking about it for a second.

-Jim

 

[jldeleon]

I had never heard that about

I had never heard that about antibiotics before, but I have been avoiding them for a loooooong time. Unless I am in imminent danger of dying in the next 24 hours, I won't take them. I have read that it does indeed take one's body about 3-4 months to fully recover from the detrimental effects of antibiotics.

BTW - for any chicks out there (and the occasional dude) who get urinary tract infections, I have managed to avoid taking antibiotics for them by taking a natural product called D-Mannose that you can get on amazon or any nature store. It works faster than antibiotics and as long as you take it as directed, it will definitely treat and prevent UTIs. It's kinda spendy but worth it. I was having UTI's every other months, and I would take antibiotics and they'd be right back in a couple months anyway. Since taking D-Mannose, I have not had a UTI in probably almost a year now.

 

[Barefoot TJ]

Thanks for the book

Thanks for the book recommendation, Jim. I recently got The Road to Perfect Health by Brenda Watson, CNC, and she basically talks all about what antibiotics can do to you and how probiotics can help cure you of many problems. It's a fascinating book. I imagine it covers much of the same in your book. Even knowing what I know, I had to take them, as far as I am concerned because I had surgery, and I surely did not want to get an infection. There's a lot of bacteria you can pick up at a surgical center/hospital. I'd rather not risk that either.

Jen, if you do get a UTI, drink pure cranberry juice. In about three glasses, the UTI will be gone. It's kinda pricey too, since it's pure, but it really works. Tastes nasty, but just drink it quick.

 

[Abide]

I am almost fully healed, it

I am almost fully healed, it only hurts for about a half mile of running now so that is pretty good progress. Stretching, foam rolling and arnica have been pretty beneficial. Hopefully you kick yours faster than mine Nick.

 

[NickW]

Thanks Abide!  Today I was

Thanks Abide! Today I was able to run a mile and I walked half a mile. I felt like I could run for much longer but I was trying to be careful so I cut it short. We'll see how I feel tomorrow. I also did an hour of the P90x stretching as well after my run so hopefully I'll be ok tomorrow. So far I feel great, so keeping my fingers and toes crossed. Yes, I said toes. I can cross my pinky toes.

 

[jldeleon]

Barefoot TJ wrote:Jen, if

Jen, if you do get a UTI, drink pure cranberry juice. In about three glasses, the UTI will be gone. It's kinda pricey too, since it's pure, but it really works. Tastes nasty, but just drink it quick.

T.J.

I've gone the cranberry route multiple times and it's only ever kept it at bay, but it eventually got me. I even took the pill form of the concentrate, which is even more concentrated. I have read that there are 2 different bacterias that can cause UTIs so maybe the kind I have does not react well to cranberries.

 

[Barefoot TJ]

Did you take the "pure"

Did you take the "pure" cranberry juice though, not the juice-blend stuff. The juice-stuff is sweet and tastes good. The pure stuff is quite bitter.

 

[jldeleon]

Barefoot TJ wroteid you

Did you take the "pure" cranberry juice though, not the juice-blend stuff. The juice-stuff is sweet and tastes good. The pure stuff is quite bitter.

Yes, pure and bitter.

 

[Barefoot TJ]

Well, that's a bummer.  Sorry

Well, that's a bummer. Sorry I couldn't be of help here.

 

[Dr James Stoxen DC]

PLANTAR FASCIITIS come from too much chronic STRESS in the plantar fascia of the foot. It starts with inflammation that turns into scar tissue that later calcifies.
The question is... What is the cause of this chronic stress in your foot?
In walking or running as you know there is simplistically the "take off" and the "landing". We all know the majority of STRESS injuries occur in the landings.
Like a plane, the human body has a landing gear, spring-loaded shock absorbing mechanism built into the arch complex as well as the muscles that allow the foot to impact like a spring and not a bang.
Foot Cuff: http://teamdoctorsblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/Suspension_Muscles_Bottom.jpg
Foot Spring Suspension Muscles: http://teamdoctorsblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/Spring-Suspension-system-muscles.jpg
The key is to
· release the muscle spasms around the 33 joints of the foot, so they can move better. That allows the impact to be moe evenly distributed across the foot like a spring load instead of a bang.
· Stretch the foot in a 3 dimensional plane so it is flexible to absorb the impacts of walking
· strengthen the suspension system muscles or the pronation supination cuff muscles that suspend the arch so it works like a spring to spring you off the ground rather than bang you into the ground
Here are some simple stretches and massage techniques you may find helpful:
Scissor Stretching Of The Feet
http://teamdoctorsblog.com/2011/08/05/video-tutorial-84-dr-james-stoxen-dc-demonstrates-scissor-stretching-of-the-feet/

Deep Tissue Treatment Under The Big Toe And Second Toe
http://teamdoctorsblog.com/2011/08/03/video-tutorial-82-dr-james-stoxen-dc-demonstrates-self-help-deep-tissue-treatment-under-the-big-toe-and-second-toe/

Video Tutorial #80 Dr James Stoxen DC Demonstrates How To Self-Help Deep Tissue Treatment Of The Subtalar Joint Of The Ankle On The Inside.
http://teamdoctorsblog.com/2011/08/01/video-tutorial-80-dr-james-stoxen-dc-demonstrates-how-to-self-help-deep-tissue-treatment-of-the-subtalar-joint-of-the-ankle/

Video Tutorial #81 Dr James Stoxen DC Demonstrates How To Self-Help Deep Tissue Treatment Of The Ankle (Subtalar Joint Outside)
http://teamdoctorsblog.com/2011/08/03/video-tutorial-81-dr-james-stoxen-dc-demonstrates-how-to-self-help-deep-tissue-treatment-of-the-subtalar-joint-of-the-ankle/

Video Tutorial #87 Dr James Stoxen DC Demonstrates Self-Help Deep Tissue Of The Ankle Mortise
http://teamdoctorsblog.com/2011/08/10/video-tutorial-87-dr-james-stoxen-dc-demonstrates-self-help-deep-tissue-of-the-ankle-mortise/


Here are my last two articles you might find helpful:

How Does The Body Spring Back Safely From Impacts Of Running and Walking?
http://teamdoctorsblog.com/2012/06/13/video-tutorial-12-is-running-bad-for-knees-how-the-body-springs-back-safely-from-impacts-of-running/

Self-Tests & Exercises To Reduce Over Pronation and Over Supination From Impacts During Walking and Running
http://teamdoctorsblog.com/2012/06/18/video-tutorial-28-the-impact-absorbing-landing-muscles-of-the-human-spring-mechanism-testing-and-training-the-spring-suspension-muscles/

Dr James Stoxen DC, President, Team Doctors The Barefoot Running Doctor