Possible Achilles tendon injury?

Question

I bought a new pair of lace-up leather boots this past weekend. They were fine the first day, but the next morning I think I may have laced one of them a little too tightly. As the day wore on I noticed that the back of my left ankle began to ache as if bruised, but I just thought it was because the boots were new and needed to be broken in. By the end of the day, I couldn't walk without limping and had to take them off. While I was unlacing the left one, I noticed that the leather had puckered a bit at the bottom, and one of the folds was directly pressing/squeezing my Achilles tendon.

Now, two days later, my ankle is still swollen and it hurts when I try to straighten my foot (as if to stand). Along with the pain, there's another sensation that, for lack of better words, almost feels as if the tendon is vibrating or grinding. It also hurts to touch it. I haven't been able to find any of our old Ace wraps, but I've kept it iced and elevated as much as I can. What could be the cause of that awful vibrating feeling? Do you think I should get my ankle checked out? Or should I just keep it elevated and see how it is in the next day or two?

Answer 1

see a sports medicine doctor.

Answer 2

If there has been no improvement in the next few days then see a podiatrist.  Keep using the ice on the area as it will stop any inflammatory response.

Answer 3

That vibrating feeling I believe is the sheath of the achilles tendon creaking or vibrating as it slides over the tendon.  Because the tendon is swollen and enlarged, the sheath is now tight around it and makes that vibrating sensation as it slides against it.  Do a google search on "achilles creaking" and there will be alot of info.

Be careful with this injury.  An achilles injury is something that can be potentially very dangerous and you need to make sure that you are not doing any activities that will prevent it from healing.  If it doesn't get start getting better within the next week or two, then see a doctor.  If you have insurance, see a doctor right away by all means.  Keep up the icing, I think that it's important to let the tendon warm up before you start walking on it because a cold tendon is far less elastic and the fragile healing that is taking place could more easily be disrupted or done damage to in this state.  I've hurt myself doing this is why I mention it.  I have bad achilles injuries myself.  Mine are very chronic and the key is to let them heal properly while the injury is fresh which is the time where by far it will have the best chance and strongest ability to heal.  Restrict your walking as much as possible until it starts improving.  It may not be this bad but if it is really bothering you, maybe you should use some crutches for a week or two and this will give a strong jumpstart to healing.  Keep up the ice which reduces swelling and inflammation and also take 800mg ibuprofen 3 times per day.  This is the universally accepted dosage for muscle or tendon injuries and also the dose prescribed to me by my doctor for my achilles injury.  Ibuprofen is an anti-inflammatory and will also help reduce the swelling.  

If it doesn't get better in a couple weeks or so, you may want to try some heel lifts.  They were also prescribed to me by my doctor when I went in for my achilles injuries.  I mention the best ones in my answer to this question: http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?...

Good luck, email me if you want and hope you get better.