Eguller
Wow, wish I'd thought of this! LOL... j/k
I've run the therapy gamut long ago. Started out with stretching. Did it for a few months and it just made things worse/more tender. Then tried cortisone injections, hoping like hell the pain of having a needle in my heel was a worthy sacrifice for some relief. Nada. Then went to get orthotics made. $500 flushed down the drain, didn't help. Then upped the ante for electronic pulse therapy, several sessions. Nil. Then graduated to the next-to-last resort, which was outpatient surgery to have an orthopedic surgeon perform a procedure called "release of the achilles tendon." Was in a boot for 6 weeks, couldn't do much. Early on thought that it had helped somewhat. Within 6 months of the procedure it was back again.
The only course of action left is having a surgeon go in and cut away the bone spur in the back of my heel that is causing the friction and irritation with the tendon. Reviews I read stated that although successful, the surgery was very painful and I'd be laid up for 3-4 months without being able to put any weight on that foot, and that there was a risk of severing the achilles tendon completely, which would have me completely idle for well over 6 months.
So I've just resigned to dealing with it. Now that I'm not playing golf, it's not nearly as painful as it used to be. In fact, I'd not had a bout of it for 3-4 years until it reappeared the past month or so. I'm sure my 4-5 days per week golf activity didn't help. Now that I'm not actively playing anymore, I'm hoping it's just a quick visit. I don't want to go through with the surgery, but will definitely consider it if it becomes chronic like it was in the past.