So I am not diagnosed, but I have something that feels like tarsal tunnel going on in my foot and ankle.
When I bend over I get a nerve stretching feeling and some tingling or pain. It’s between my medial malleus and Achilles tendon.
Pretty random onset, I was running barefoot at my parents house on thanksgiving playing with my son and the dog and it started to ache and then now I get this pulling sensation when my hamstrings are stretched.
I’ve been four nerve glides and something I saw in an old BBM post from 2018 (calf raise with some ankle rotation).
It’s better than immediately after but I’m also finding when I deadlift it’s causing symptoms; two weeks ago it wasn’t.
I have taken way too much time off at this point (3 weeks, then I got sick when I planned to resume) and I need to get out and train.
Would you guys recommend block or rack pulls or something to shorten ROM to stay out do the symptomatic range for this?
I haven’t figured out what I’m gonna do about squatting yet as I’m unsure if the foot pressure is going to aggravate.
Whatever this is, it sounds like it started relatively acutely after that barefoot run. I interpret the sudden onset here as a sign of a good prognosis if we’re able to let the area “cool off” on its own for bit, as compared with much longer-term chronic overuse injuries that can be a lot more stubborn and slow to improve.
So, I think that this period you’ve spent offloading the area is wise, and then it’s a matter of finding a way to return to activity that doesn’t flare it back up. If you feel that full-load pulls from the floor are provocative, starting with block/rack pulls is fine – although I would still start the first couple sessions with lighter loads, rather than the usual temptation of “overloading” on those shorter-ROM movements.
Finally, since I can understand the itch to train, you can still get a ton of back stimulus without flaring up the area using other movements like cable/machine rows, pulldowns, chest-supported T bar rows, back extensions, good mornings, etc.
It’s been about a month and I would say it’s about the same as onset, heel pain is less than it was the day off but since then it’s just been tugging at the nerve when I bend over or bend knees sometimes when I try to reach down when sitting.
Does it sound like anything in particular would be beneficial like nerve flossing or strengthening foot rotation?
Just curious, PT friend of mine passively mentioned that to me.