Health problems, episode MMCLIX: Shin splints

[haggholm]

So after having my legs hurt along the inside of the tibia after running in SwordFit, I went to a doctor and described the pain. A brief description later, he asked whether I have flat feet. Clearly he had generated a working hypothesis and was making a prediction based thereon. It was a pretty good working hypothesis, as I do indeed have flat feet.

The pain was shin splints, an inflammation of the connective tissues about the tibia (the Swedish term, benhinneinflammation, literally means “bone-membrane inflammation”). The solution, the doctor assured me, is custom-made orthotics to provide some arch support and prevent over-pronation.

Fair enough, so I found a place that makes orthotics, and I made an inquiry to my insurance company (the extended health provider through work) to see what they would cover. It turns out that they will cover orthotics (up to $200, I think), but only if I provide a Biomechanical Assessment, which has to come from a podiatrist, chiropodist, or chiropractor(?!). So I have to see a podiatrist. So of course I want a referral to a podiatrist, to get everything covered by insurance I possibly can…

So I got my referral and my podiatry appointment—it was pretty quick, actually, I only had to wait about a week. Today I saw the podiatrist, a Dr. Polonsky, who was a remarkably personable fellow. He concurred with the earlier diagnoses and agreed that orthotics are indicated, but also noticed excessive tightness in my gastroc/soleus group, which is not something obscene but refers to the gastrocnemius and associated muscles in my calves. He was troubled by the limited dorsoflexion of my feet and suggested that this probably contributes to the problem.

So, now I need two things:

1. I need to see the podiatrist again to have casts made of my feet, in order to make the orthotics. I’m not sure exactly when, but it may be as early as tomorrow!—he won’t know until later in the day whether his schedule permits. If so, I’ll probably miss Mastery tomorrow, but I think it’s worth it. If not, it may be a week or so.

2. I should start some regular stretching regimen—nothing crazy, just a couple of minutes a day (I believe he actually suggested three minutes, though no great sense of precision was conveyed), so I need to come up with a good set of stretches for the gastrocnemius, or gastro-solius group, or at any rate my calves, which (a) works and (b) is short and simple enough that I have any hope of actually sticking to it. (He also suggested that a stretch known as the dead bug might help with some of my lumbar issues.)

Progress is being made, I suppose.