I have a few questions for you so that I can get a better picture.

So, you’ e been in the cast for about 12 - 5 = 7 days or so?

What sort of doctor did you see? Did he order any studies or get an X-ray?

Your approximate age? 40, 50, … 70, ..?

Do you know or have any idea how you came to have pain and tendinitis? Were you doing something differently, or wearing new shoes or boots?

Did the doctor tell you that you could expect to be in pain, even after the cast was put on? Did he want or expect you to be fairly laid up, in a recliner most of the day?

Did he tell you or did you ask how long you would need to be in that cast?

Did he give you any suggestions for pain relief? Or any prescriptions?

It might be helpful for you to get a manageable notebook and take with you to the doctor appointments as well as write down your questions, date on onset, treatment, cast and other relevant information.

I would certainly get back to him or her with your questions and let him know you are still having (considerable) pain. Is there anyone who can help you or go with you to appointments? You want to pick someone with whom you’re comfortable, and who will not jabber away to the doctor so that you don’t get to speak.

I am sorry you're in so much pain, but you need a better understanding of what’s going on and what to expect. I’ve never had achilles tendinitis (other types, though), but it doesn’t seem right that you are still experiencing pain. Usually resting or temporary splinting relieve much of the pain. (In my experience, a lay person.) I should think your do tor would want to know.

If you call the office, keep a note of the date, time, whoyou spoke with and what they said to you and you to them. This will help you stay organized.

So you can ask if you’re expected to still be experiencing pain. Is the cast supposed to feel loose? and so on. If you can take Tylenol, ask if that wouldbe alright and at what dosage.

Hang in there!

caflowlver, sorry for your troubles.

I don't know if a cast is supposed to be loose or tight. I've only had the removable kind of brace.

Your questions are excellent questions to put to your doctor. Some of them should have been covered during your office visit.

So sorry.

I have had a torn tendon. just a velcro brace was recommended. As I was healing, i discovered MLS therapy and it help tremendously. I wore the brace fir a year.

I recently broke a toe and it healed in half the time.My podiatrist kept both before and after X-rays to shows other health professionals the proven benefits.

Hopefully this will help you.

Look into getting a knee roller (scooter) ...life changing if you can't use your foot. I've used mine multiple times and have lent it friends as well.

Thank you for your replies. I saw a podiatrist, had x-rays done -nothing broken. I don't know how it happened, I just work up with the pain. I must have done something the day before. I asked the docotor how it happened. He replied you are 73, old age sneaks up on you. This coming from a 30 something. I have been using ibuprofen at night to get some sleep. I will send in a "health online" through my doctor a list of questions.

Petalque - I will take all your questions and print them out. Thank you.

Eld - i will have to look up MLS. Never heard of it.

Anne -I was going to use a knee scooter but with severe scolious my balance is off. I enjoyed using it in the past. I wish I could use it now.

Thanks again.

Tendinitis like this is often associated with overuse. That’s why I asked. But I once had a very stiff pair of hiking boats that were so uncomfortable and kept my ankle in an odd position. If I had insisted on wearing these, I am confident I would have developed tendinitis. The ”overuse” here would have been from my body trying to compensate for the discomfort and awkward position.

I’m not sure I would seek help from a podiatrist if I had Achilles tendinitis or a non-foot problem. I am trying to read about Achilles tendinitis now, but, on the surface, it seems that a hard plaster cast is not the usual approach. Again, I am not a doctor and would not attempt to give medical advice. I am just exploring and learning a bit about the condition.

Did you see your primary care doctor about this? Or Urgent Care?

Personally, I would not be likely to have a podiatrist treat me for this or do any surgery.

How high does the hard plaster cast go up?

Before you had the cast applied, did you try Rest and Ice periodically? I don’t see how that would be possible now. I use Ice Gel packs frequently and always have some in my freezer. I secure them in one or two of those cotton, flat weave tea towels. A bag of frozen vegetables will also work.

Did the podiatrist offer or suggest any sort of steroid injection?

➡️ https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/achilles-tendinitis/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20369025

➡️ https://www.healthline.com/health/achilles-tendinitis#treatment

➡️ https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/physiatrist

FYI —

What sort of doctor treats Achilles tendinitis?

➡️ https://www.findatopdoc.com/Expert/82736729-Jeffrey-L-Bell/what-type-of-doctor-treats-achilles-tendonitis

If you have been experiencing ankle pain, then you should seek medical attention. However, before you even take the injury to be examined, you first need to know what type of doctor treats Achilles tendonitis?

In this article, you will be guided through all this, as well as what to expect after your examination.

Who should you see to treat Achilles tendonitis?
If you have an Achilles tendonitis injury, there are several doctors who you can consult and these include;

1. Family medicine physicians who have specialized with ankle and foot injuries.
2. Sports medicine specialists.
3. Podiatrists who have specialized in sports injuries.
4. Emergency medical specialists who attend severe and sudden Achilles issues.
5. Orthopedic surgeons who specialize in the rupture of Achilles.

Physical therapists might also be ideal if you are looking to rebuild the strength in the leg muscles and Achilles tendons.

When should you see the doctor?
If the ankle pain gets worse as each day passes, you need to see a doctor to address the issue. Likewise, other the other symptoms which you need to watch out for are;

1. Having trouble standing-up on your tiptoes.
2. Ankle or leg soreness and stiffness.
3. Warmth around your leg or ankle or any sign of a disease such as redness.
4. Inflammation over the Achilles tendon.

Any of these symptoms mentioned above are a sign that you need to seek medical attention immediately.

Diagnosis of Achilles Tendonitis
Before your doctor can diagnose Achilles tendonitis, there are a few questions you will need to answer about the swelling and pain, including;

1. Where exactly do you feel the pain?
2. Does the pain reduce when you rest?
3. What is your regular training routine?
4. Have you started playing a new sport recently, or are there any new adjustments to your regular workout routine?
5. What do you do for pain relief?

Your doctor can also request you to stand on your feet’ balls as they try to observe your flexibility as well as a range of motion. Moreover, he will feel around the ankle region to try and identify the precise position where the swelling and pain is most severe.

Imaging tests may be necessary to help the doctor to verify Achilles tendonitis, and these test usually includes;

1. Ultrasounds showing inflammation, tendon movement as well as related damage.
2. MRI scans that can notice tissue degeneration and ruptures.
3. X-rays that show images of the leg bones and foot.

Treating Achilles tendonitis
There are numerous treatments for Achilles tendonitis, including anti-inflammatory medication, home remedies such as rest as well as other treatments, for instance, surgery and steroid injections. Some of the most common suggestion your doctor will provide you with include;

1. Attending physical therapy.
2. Minimizing your physical activity.
3. Change to a less intense sport.
4. Wearing a walking boot or brace to thwart heel movement.
5. Taking anti-inflammatory medication for a short period such as ibuprofen and aspirin.
6. Icing your foot or ankle when experiencing pain or after exercise.
7. Lifting your feet to reduce any swelling.

The RICE Method
This method of treating Achilles tendonitis comprises of rest, ice, compression as well as elevation (RICE). It is a very effective Achilles tendonitis method immediately after you have had the injury. This method entails you;

Rest: You should not place any weight or pressure on your Achilles tendon until you can be able to walk without experiencing any pain.

This usually takes about one or two days, with the tendon healing faster if you do not place added strain on it throughout this process. Sometimes the doctor may recommend you make use of clutches when walking long distances to rest your tendon.

Ice: Place ice in the bag, cover the bag in a cloth, and then position the enclosed bag of ice over your skin.

Hold this bag against your tendon for approximately 15 to 20 minutes, and then take it off to allow the tendon to get warmed up again. Typically, the use of ice makes inflammation go down quicker.

Compression: Bind a bandage or clothing around the Achilles tendon to squeeze the injury. Doing his prevents the excessive swelling of the tendon. However, you must never tie any around your tendon very tightly because this can restrict the flow of blood.

Elevation: Place your foot over your chest’s level, and as it is higher compared to your heart, blood flows back to your heart, thereby reducing the inflammation. To best do this, you need to lie down and place your feet either on a raised surface or pillow.

More at link.

The doctor was an MD and is in the Podiatry dept for Sutter Health Group. Here is a picture of the cast. It is almost knee high. I could pick any color and I chose purple. I need a pedicure!

I haven't read the responses due to time restraints, so perhaps my tips will already have been mentioned.

I developed tendonitis last August after a summer of wearing orthotic flip-flops which were said to be intended for those with plantar fasciitis. For years I had heeded the advice to NOT wear flip flops due to my PF but I weakened and tried them (Aetrex). They were incredibly comfortable and I loved them, but do feel they were responsible for the AT. As luck would have it, we were traveling for several weeks overseas. We are walkers so it was a difficult time.

Upon arriving home, I saw a podiatrist and a sports medicine doctor. Both offered the same advice which I followed. However, the exercises provided aggravated the AT so off to do more internet searches. I learned there are two types of AT, insertional and non-insertional (mine is the insertional which causes heel pain). The exercises I had been given, basically essentric calf raises on a step or stairs, should only be done on the floor with insertional tendonitis.

My searches lead to various ads popping up, one for Kuru shoes. I now have four pair and they do help significantly though I haven't been able to wear them 24/7 as they don't have styles suitable for certain occasions. We are off for another few weeks during which time I will be able to wear only my Kuru's 24/7 with the exception of a couple of hours in the evening, and I'm anxious to see how my heels feel at the end of May. At least now I am confident we will be able to do all the activities we enjoy without pain. My discomfort now appears to be limited to first thing in the a.m. and dissipates quickly, particularly once I put on my shoes.

Good luck to you. It's literally and figuratively a huge pain.

ETA: For anyone who might try the Kuru brand shoes, not all of them worked for me. They have free shipping and returns as well as a 45 day trial period so I was able to try several different styles and sizes. I'm very impressed with the company from my experience thus far.

I never had Achilles tendinitis but had dozens of of upper body tendinitis flareups because of my occupations working hard with my back, arms and hands.

From my thumb, wrist and elbow to the tendons responsible for holding up the arm, (couldn't lift it above my shoulder) they were all diagnosed as Tendinitis (inflammation) by orthopedic surgeons with prescriptions for anti inflammatory drugs. All took two to four months to heal with exception to the left thumb, which took a damn year because I had to continually use it. The others I could baby them and get by. Many times I could feel a problem increasing and just taking anti inflammatory pills and a little caution I got me through them.

It's kind of odd you developed tendinitis as diagnosed by your doctor doing something and boom it became inflamed? Sounds more like damage to me, as in torn Tendon. I could feel all the inflammations increasing with time and use. and not spontaneous like you mentioned. Was the doctor a orthopedic specialist or a general practitioner? All my GP's referred me to specialists with the bad ones.

I read most of this before but dont have time to figure out where I stopped. I would call the doctors office and ask. The point of a cast is to stabalize and contain the foot so I dont think your foot ought to be slidding around. If you had swelling it could have reduced to the point the cast is loose. Was it loose at the beginning? Anyway call. That is the simple thing to do. They have answers.

patriciae

What seems to help is keeping it elevated and not doing anything to stress or strain it. Thanks again for all the information everyone.