New Shoes

For the last year now I've been dealing with achille's tendon pain.
Never had had it before then.
It started within a week, maybe even just a couple of days, after going to RunAZ and getting fitted with the "right" type of shoes for me. Unbeknownst to me I had been running all summer in a "Motion Control" without a problem and Dan switched me to a "Neutral". I had never done this before. I had been a Big 5 or Sport's Authority shopper before. But since I had decided I really wanted to get into running, with no more pregnancys on the horizon, I wanted to do it right. My achille's started hurting right at the end of a running club workout.
I asked both the club coach and Dan at RunAZ, "Could it be something about the shoes?" Both gave me the impression that that was a ridiculous question.
So I kept wearing the shoes, when I ran.
During the past year, I've tried resting it, icing it, stretching it, astm treatment, strength training, Adviling it and two physical therapists!
The second PT suggested I try a stability shoe with a firm heel counter, instead of the neutral one that RunAZ had recommended. Both of the shoes I got were Asics GT something, one was neutral and one was stability. Now I have to admit, I'm the one picking out the shoes, they just told me the type.
Well this summer I thought I'd bring along my "old" neutral ones, I'd only used them for a month before I switched to a stability shoe, just to stand and walk around it on our vacation to Yellowstone. Better than flip flops right? Well, I'll be darned if my achilles didn't start hurting just from standing and walking!
OK then, I thought, something about these shoes is not working for me! Not sure what!
Last week I went to the gym and wore my newer Asics "stability" shoe. After I did some stationary biking, I noticed my achilles felt a little more irritated. And I thought of a comment I had overheard Cynthia make last weekend about how she likes Saucony's because they are low around the ankle. I examined my Asics and noticed how high and firm they both were around the ankle and wondered if that could be the problem?
I went to SoleSports and told them my saga. I tried on a bunch and I mean a bunch of shoes, the salesperson got a workout! I ended up with a pair of Saucony's.
I tried them last week and they felt good. It didn't feel like they increased the irritation of the achilles at all, but since it had already been irritated earlier in the week I could feel a little bit of it still so I didn't run on Saturday.
I also went to Dillard's and got some supportive sandals to help my feet during the day. The soles of my feet have been really sore lately. And although Dan at RunAZ had told me that since I have high arches I can wear flip flops all I want, a Runner's World article I read last week when I was at the gym told a different story.
Which brings me to now. I'm so hoping that my problem has been the shoes. And I'd like to get into running again. But I'm nervous to find out for sure. It has been so frustating!
And it will be really annoying if it was the shoes to think I could have been doing marathon training right now if I'd gotten the right shoes last fall, instead of ones that gave me problems!
There is nothing I can do about that now. And I just need to get going! But I haven't been able to go early in the morning when I like to because I've got high-schoolers that need a ride. But we are bike shopping for them so they can ride to school. And then that time slot will become available.
I hope it goes well.
Injuries as you all know are so frustrating!
I hope I can be a part of training soon instead of just reading about your training, although I enjoy that too!