Women What should I do about my stupid heel?

[aerialriver]

So about a year or even more ago I was running to do my double mini pass and kind of tripped causing myself to hurdle way harder on my heel than I would usually. I heard a pop and it kind of hurt but not bad and I finished class. For about a week after it felt bruised, no visable bruise or swelling I just figured I hit it too hard and bruised it. Then the pain went away mostly but every once in a while would ache. Then it stated hurting not while doing gym but after being off of it for a while like first thing in the morning.

I researched it and all I could find was stuff about Plantar Fasciitis which never really fit because the pain is toward the back of the heel on the side. Well I tried the R.I.C.E thing, taking advil, taping it, gel heel cups for my shoes, and a Cheeta thing. Now it is worse than ever, funny thing is I can still do gym just fine, it hurts for the first few mins. then stops, I cannot however hurdle off it a lot. It hurts like crazy just walking, and I can't get up quickly after resting otherwise I fall over from the pain.

I know no one can give me medical advise and I am not looking for it. I just want to know 3 things. First has anyone ever had anything like this or any idea what it might be? Second if I were to go to the doctor who would I go to an Ortho or a foot doctor? Thirdly I know what you will say to this but hear me out, should I bother going to the doctor? I have crappy insurance and just the visit and an Xray (which has to be done at a seperate facility) would be $180 plus an hour drive each way. And I know if I needed some stupid orthotic I can't afford hundreds of dollars for that which kind of puts me off to the foot doctor idea. Plus my experience with doctors around here is that they are not helpful, I have been to an ortho before and he didn't run any tests, and just told me to do what I had been doing for months R.I.C.E. I am afraid they will charge me big $ and tell me it is a soft tissue thing and to R.I.C.E which I am beyond. I'd almost rather it be a fracture or something that requires a cast, rest, pt and then it is fixed!

 

[Copelscope]

Sounds a lot like when I had Achilles tendinitis (not a gymnast, but from upping mileage too fast on runs)-- I went to a foot and ankle specialized orthopedist and was in a boot for a few weeks with some extra calf stretching prescribed after the boot. The pain started as a bruised heel feeling, escalated to radiating up my calf, and was worse after rest (my doctor said I may have ruptured it if I continued to run on it, requiring surgery and far more downtime than just a few weeks in a boot).

I wouldn't mess with anything involving your feet/ankles-- go to a doc to prevent extensive enough damage to take you out of the sport long-term if there is an injury, or if nothing else for peace of mind if its nothing to worry about.


If something doesn't make sense, I blame autocorrect.

 

[SignHere]

The problem with feet is that they are feet! Ya gotta walk on them, stand on them, and jump on them. And believe it or not, there is life after gymnastics!

The reason I say this, is ... I walked on a broken foot for 5 weeks! By the time I saw an ortho specialist (and please don't go to a podiatrist, you are an athlete!) , I needed surgery, open fixation, and screws. Oh, and total non weight bearing for 6 weeks, with 6 weeks in a walking cast after that.

Don't consult Dr. Google or Dr. Chalkbucket, please! Go see a REAL MD!

 

[Deleted member D3987]

sounds like your Achilles.

 

[aerialriver]

I know I know I'm going just crabby about it! Can your Achilles really make your heel hurt? It has never hurt in the tendon area or my calf. Just curious! Thanks! P.S. The pain in on the bottom of my heel not at the back by the tendon.