Experience with Posterior Tibial Tendonopathy

[Anonymous]

Has anyone been through this? I've done PT, ice, stretching and even steroid injections over the last year with very little benefit. I have orthotics. The orthopedist said that surgery is my next step, but explained that I will be non-weight bearing for 3 months after surgery.

Has anyone fixed this situation without surgery, and if so, how? If you've had surgery, can you tell me who your surgeon was and how recovery went?

Thanks.

[Anonymous]

I’ve been dealing with this and hoping someone has ideas. OP are you already wearing recovery slides all the time? That helps me the most with the pain.

[Anonymous]

OP here. Tell me what recovery slides are, please! I don't have them. I'm wearing my orthotics all of the time, which pretty much limits me to running shoes.

I do have some luck with a combo of the ice, theragun and an incline board, but that just makes the pain bearable.

[Anonymous]

I just dealt with everything you’ve described (PT, cortisone, sneakers, icing, etc…), but for the peroneal tendons (other side). I did have an MRI which was very inconclusive with what was going on- did you have one? Even with the differing opinions for the MRI, I was told the surgery was the next step and got a 2nd opinion who also said that the only way to actually get rid of the pain was surgery. I decided to go for it as I knew I couldn’t handle pain for the rest of my life.

I got the surgery a few months ago and am so glad I did. I can now walk with zero pain. I’m still working on inversion/eversion with PT, but there’s no pain unless I’m actively stretching it and I know that movement will return with a little more time.

Highly recommend Dr Reddy (Shady Grove Ortho) if you’re in Maryland.

[Anonymous]

I’m PP, about surgery recovery- I went home with less pain than I went in with! It felt miraculous. That lasted about 4-5 days, then there was some aching, but minimal pain. They had told me to take narcotics the first few nights, but I did not need them. I didn’t enjoy being on crutches, but the knee scooter is really helpful. After 2 weeks, I switched to a boot- so not bad at all. Are you sure you’ll be full no - weigh bearing for the full 3 months? Being in the boot is slow at first, but pretty easy after a week.

After 8 weeks (2 w/ crutches and 6 in the boot), I got freed! That was only a few weeks ago, but going well. For me, it was easily worth the uncomfortable stage.

[Anonymous]

OP here. I had an MRI last fall that showed interstitial tearing of the post tib and a small (9-11 mm) cartilage tear in an area that they think is unrelated to my pain.

Thanks for the doc recommendation.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’m PP, about surgery recovery- I went home with less pain than I went in with! It felt miraculous. That lasted about 4-5 days, then there was some aching, but minimal pain. They had told me to take narcotics the first few nights, but I did not need them. I didn’t enjoy being on crutches, but the knee scooter is really helpful. After 2 weeks, I switched to a boot- so not bad at all. Are you sure you’ll be full no - weigh bearing for the full 3 months? Being in the boot is slow at first, but pretty easy after a week.

After 8 weeks (2 w/ crutches and 6 in the boot), I got freed! That was only a few weeks ago, but going well. For me, it was easily worth the uncomfortable stage.

The doctor told me that the post tib repair is one of the bigger surgeries. It involves harvesting a tendon from one side of my foot to graft onto the other side. It sounds major and really awful.

Appreciate the doc recommendation.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m PP, about surgery recovery- I went home with less pain than I went in with! It felt miraculous. That lasted about 4-5 days, then there was some aching, but minimal pain. They had told me to take narcotics the first few nights, but I did not need them. I didn’t enjoy being on crutches, but the knee scooter is really helpful. After 2 weeks, I switched to a boot- so not bad at all. Are you sure you’ll be full no - weigh bearing for the full 3 months? Being in the boot is slow at first, but pretty easy after a week.

After 8 weeks (2 w/ crutches and 6 in the boot), I got freed! That was only a few weeks ago, but going well. For me, it was easily worth the uncomfortable stage.

The doctor told me that the post tib repair is one of the bigger surgeries. It involves harvesting a tendon from one side of my foot to graft onto the other side. It sounds major and really awful.

Appreciate the doc recommendation.

Gotcha- well I still wouldn’t let a 3 month recovery deter you from the surgery. Being in pain daily is not worth it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here. Tell me what recovery slides are, please! I don't have them. I'm wearing my orthotics all of the time, which pretty much limits me to running shoes.

I do have some luck with a combo of the ice, theragun and an incline board, but that just makes the pain bearable.

Buy these now! https://www.amazon.com/Crocs-Unisex-Mellow-Slides-Sandal/dp/B0BFNPG9BC?source=ps-sl-shoppingads-lpcontext&ref_=fplfs&psc=1&smid=A1GGYF6XSX3F2O

They run big.

[Anonymous]

OP did your doctor recommend wearing a boot? My podiatrist required me to wear it 2 weeks for post tib tendonitis. For a tear she would have recommended 6 weeks. The boot is awful and clunky but it did help.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP did your doctor recommend wearing a boot? My podiatrist required me to wear it 2 weeks for post tib tendonitis. For a tear she would have recommended 6 weeks. The boot is awful and clunky but it did help.

I wore a boot for about 8 weeks last fall. It didn't do much to help. PT did some good. The first steroid shot helped a bunch for about 8 weeks. Second one did next to nothing.

[Anonymous]

Have you had a 2nd opinion by another ortho?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP did your doctor recommend wearing a boot? My podiatrist required me to wear it 2 weeks for post tib tendonitis. For a tear she would have recommended 6 weeks. The boot is awful and clunky but it did help.

I wore a boot for about 8 weeks last fall. It didn't do much to help. PT did some good. The first steroid shot helped a bunch for about 8 weeks. Second one did next to nothing.

Ok if the boot did not help and it’s still hurting a year later then yeah, you may need surgery. Not sure what stretches you’ve done but deep calf stretch (2 mins per side without stopping) first thing in the morning and last thing at night is what helps me most. I also stretch in the swimming pool because I can do an even deeper stretch holding the wall and dropping my heels further than I could otherwise.

Healthy feet are so essential to your future mobility that although surgery will suck, it will be worth it. See if there is an alternative activity you can do (swimming?) to not go crazy.