[pct-l] tendonitis...minor injuries

[Glenn Bradford]

You can definitely do some things to help too...

Find the exact sore spot and give it a good rub - don't injure it
more, but definitely give it a little pressure and movement. You're
trying to get circulation into the area, and especially into the
tendons which don't cycle blood that well.  When you're done, put
something cool on it - a water bottle, a splash of water, a slurpee,
whatever. If you're near a coldish water source, soak it until it's
numb to the touch. That cooling then warming back up flushes a lot of
crapp out of the area of the injury.

Also, if you know it's safe for you, definitely take some Ibuprofen to
get the swelling down so that it can heal. It's vitamin I after all!

Sounds like it can tolerate it, but injuries like that should be
lightly stretched a couple times a day if it can be done with only
mild pain. If the pain is mild and stays that way, definitely stay on
it, just take it easy on the injury area if you have that option. The
cool down the area injury like I described above.

If you can't cool it down, then just try rubbing and working the
*other* ankle. Sounds weird, but there's a lot of research that shows
sympathetic treatment of your body on the side opposite the injury can
help you heal 30% faster.

Last thing, make sure your calf and knee are stretched out on both
sides. In massage therapy, the saying is the ankle starts at the knee.
Keeping all that stretched will take pressure off those tendons.

Oh, the other last thing, slightly elevate it at night if you can,
that will also keep the are flushed out.

Have a great hike!

Glenn

On Sat, Apr 23, 2011 at 1:53 PM, Toby Maxwell <toby.m.maxwell at gmail.com> wrote:
> Thanks! its good to hear (from brandon) that its something that is
> hike-offable in some sense.  I'm just gonna be optimistic because...why not!
> Good luck to you as well greg,  I'm doing my best to not worry.  I hope the
> doctor brings good news to you.
>
> -Toby
>
> On Sat, Apr 23, 2011 at 2:45 PM, Greg Gressel <jumpfrom15000 at yahoo.com>wrote:
>
>> I'm in the same boat with sore ankle. I injured it on a long day hike and
>> after waiting two weeks had more problems last weekend on a 30 mile day  i
>> have four weeks to heal and will do very little until I leave. I go to the
>> orthopedic doc on Tuesday. Hope your recover goes well.
>>
>> Sent from my iPhone
>>
>> On Apr 23, 2011, at 1:57 PM, Brandon McGinnity <bmcginnity at gmail.com>
>> wrote:
>>
>> > Haha, oooooh yes. Been there. I pulled my Achiles going too fast down a
>> > mountain on the AT, and hiked for weeks waiting for that to heal. Thanks
>> to
>> > the limping, I got miserable tendonitis on the top of the other foot,
>> from
>> > the compensation I guess. That hurt for an additional several weeks. If
>> I'd
>> > rested things might have been easier, but I just grit my teeth and kept
>> > walking (limping, as it were). I'm stubborn. And maybe a little stupid.
>> >
>> > If you have 20 days to rest some minor tendonitis, I'd say you're golden.
>> >
>> > On Sat, Apr 23, 2011 at 12:45 PM, Toby Maxwell <toby.m.maxwell at gmail.com
>> >wrote:
>> >
>> >> I was just told by the doctor that I have some very minor tendonitis in
>> my
>> >> right ankle area, its from playing ultimate frisbee a lot.  He said 10
>> days
>> >> ( i have 20 till I start) should take care of most of the healing.  Has
>> >> anyone ever had to deal with tendonitis on the trail? the orthopedist
>> >> seemed
>> >> to think it'd not be an issue especially because I have some time to
>> heal.
>> >> Just curious, at this point I'm just gonna listen to my body.  I don't
>> want
>> >> to subscribe to the vortex of fear, but naturally its not the best news!
>> >>
>> >> -Toby
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>> >
>> > --
>> > ~ Moccasin
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