My Achilles Heels

I don't know how to say this without making it sound like a pun, but my Achilles heel is my achilles. I've made mention of it before on here in other injury updates, but I've dealt with some achilles tendonitis in both legs over the past couple of years. It seems to come and go, and usually the more active I am the more it goes.

The more epic Achilles...

Last night was the 1st time I actually decided to look outward for help though. At the recommendation of a friend I play basketball with (who also happens to be a head athletic trainer at a local high school or something - I might even be selling him short as to what his job title actually is), I went and saw a physical therapist that he sends his athletes to.

Now, I was skeptical going into my appointment, but I actually learned some stuff about my body that I wasn't aware of before. For example, I actually have a larger arch in my feet than what is considered average. This can contribute to achilles aggravation. Also, from one look at my feet and the way I walk, it was obvious to the PT that I was very stiff and had suffered some type of lower body injuries over the course of my life. Apparently, my numerous ankle sprains over the years have caused me to put almost all of my weight on the outside of the bottom of my foot when I walk (and presumably run, jump, cut, or anything else). I learned that this natural form of overcompensation is likely causing my achilles tendons to work harder than they should.

I think it's always comforting to know the why when it comes to something in your body not performing the way it should. The question now is what to do with this information. The PT thought I would benefit from scheduling some times to come in and get some work done. (Following my assessment, it also seems that I have low flexibility in my hips, which could also possibly effect my balance and, therefore, my achilles.) But do I really want to spend the time and money to do that? I could take the insights I gained, research it, and try to develop some kind of program on my own. How effective my amateur self-therapy would be is very questionable though. As I've heard from a lot of people older and wiser than me, take care of it now...it will be worse if you have these same problems later. I think the right decision is inevitable...it's just a matter of how stubborn I want to be and how long it takes me to give in.