I post here in the hopes that someone will be able to relate to my situation or be able to give me advice on what to do next.
It all started August of 2009 when I joined my colleges cross country team. During that summer, I desperately tried to prepare myself by bumping up my mileage drastically. I also did lots of my running on roads. After a week at college, I was diagnosed with achilles tendonitis. I took about a week and a half off, and returned to running. During the season, the achilles would flare up from time to time, but for the most part it was ok. After cross, and went into the swim season only experiencing achilles pain and the occasional awkward flip turn.
Then, when I started to train for indoor season, I had a flare up of achilles tendonitis again. I took a weak off and did all the normal treatments, but I don't think I ever fully recovered. Throughout the rest of track, I would have calf and achilles pain, but not knowing any better, I trained through my injury with the advice of my trainer by using the electric stim before every run. This got me through the season, but I was always in pain, and by conference week, it was agonizing. After my last race of track, I stopped all running in attempt to heal.
I then went to an orthopedic dr and had an mri. The only things that showed up were a gangly cyst and inflammation accompanying the flexor hallucis( big toe tendon). He said neither of these were related to calf or achilles pain. He got me orthodics, and put me on a stretching regimine. That entire summer, I stretched, iced, took nsaids, got massages, and rested. When I got back to school, I incorporated ultrasound and electric stim. I continued all of this until now, 8 months later. Flexibility has increased, and inflammation has gone down slightly, but both of my calves are still super tight, and any attempts at running end in severe pain and inflammation.
Does anyone have any help or advice?!?!? I have dealt with injuries before, but never anything of this magnitude. What is the next step here?
Thanks for any help