Retrocalcaneal Bursitis

[AnnShh]

Has anyone dealt with this?

I was diagnosed with Retrocalcaneal Bursitis at the end of December. I've been taking ibuprophen and was put on a Methylprednisolone dose pack, and I've been doing physical therapy 3x a week. My ankle felt significantly better, so I tried running again today. It's now flared up again pretty badly.

I am supposed to be doing Army ROTC next semester (starts Jan 20) and I am concerned that I won't be able to do it now. I am willing to work through it and deal with pain issues *if* it won't cause other problems.

Does anyone have experience with this? Any idea if there is a risk for an achilles tear if I continue running through this? Maybe I just need some sense knocked into me... ROTC is what I want more than anything and I've worked my butt off (against the odds, considering my previous injuries) to do this, only to fear it may not happen now.

 

[Lynn & The Chins]

DANG, Ann, you've really had some tough breaks lately.

Take it easy and let yourself heal before you push yourself into something as physical as ROTC. Maybe NEXT semester???

 

[TheNobleFight]

Yes ... I had this in Basic Training and 1st phase of SF selection school.

YOU ARE OVER TRAINING.... Cool it now or Navy Medical will not clear you for OCS.

A tendon tear is not a concern.... It is THE DEAL BREAKER!

I am sure your doctor advised you to keep it elevated, cold, and free from overachieving stress for 3 weeks. lol

 

[AnnShh]

Yes ... I had this in Basic Training and 1st phase of SF selection school.

YOU ARE OVER TRAINING.... Cool it now or Navy Medical will not clear you for OCS.

A tendon tear is not a concern.... It is THE DEAL BREAKER!

I am sure your doctor advised you to keep it elevated, cold, and free from overachieving stress for 3 weeks. lol

I am doing the minimum I can to be able to walk into PT when I get back to school and have a chance at being up to standards. If I back off on training until PT starts, and it comes back, then what? Work through it (I understand an achilles tear will be a deal breaker- is an achillies tear a possibility as a result from working through this?)?

My OS told me to do the standard R.I.C.E. (with lots of ice), physical therapy, riding (which I actually found helped it feel better) and that I can start working on running when it's better. I did not bring up ROTC with him mainly because he wasn't too happy with me wanting to do that before any of this happened.

I could always wait til next fall... but I would so much rather try and do it this spring if I can. But I do realize that may not be possible/in my best interest- I'm just really hardheaded and determined and hate feeling like I failed.

 

[TheNobleFight]

Next to rigid ankles, "Achilles Death" is a no-go for military recruitment. Ask your ROTC CO.
Your in VA... My guess is you are running in the morning or at night, when it is cold. That combined with minimal stretch and warm-up, overtraining, bad running posture(genetic), and bad shoes may have contributed to this.
If you were already in Therepy and on Anti-inflams and you re-injured it, you may be down for 2 to 3 months. If you are unable to make ROTC ask for a medical waiver and concentrate on strength training(no squats or calve raises).

They cannot fix a torn Achilles, despite what you hear. If it tears you will have problems for life.

Side Note: Pat Tillman suffered Achilles Inflammation during Ranger school. He was in Ironman shape, but the programs are designed to weed people out. Most Rangers are Physically destroyed by the age of 21, and either transfer out to other units or leave the military altogether.