Thanks,
Yeah, I had the MRI and nerve testing. I don't look forward to the PT, but at least I am making an effort to make it better.
I have never had any numbness. It's just pain.

There have already been a number of good thoughts and suggestions from those of us with experienced knees and ankles.
My experience is two knee surgeries from basketball, a strained achilles from racquetball and plantar fascia from God knows where.

My doctor prescribed a shoe inset (worn all the time) for plantar, and despite of his warnings, I still officate with help from a metal protective ACL brace. I stretch a good bit each night and take anti-inflammatory over the counter drugs. Still, late in the season, my knees will ache a good bit.

However, the one thing that has helped remove almost all the pain from plantar and the achilles injury, is riding a road bike. When work and the amount of sunlight let me, I'll try to ride about 100 miles a week. I've not had to wear shoe inserts for over two years and my weight and general soreness have gone away. Riding alot in August and September, I especially notice the strength in my legs early in the bball season.

And, if that one woman driver would have seen us before she pulled out in front of my group of riders, the pain in my right shoulder would be far less. :)

I think jmkbball did hit on something there - watch your weight. Of course, when I say that bear in mind I'm a 43 yo fat guy! :D

Several wrote about wearing braces on the ankle. According to my orthopedist, wearing a brace will not keep the achilles from tearing. Unfortunately, he is correct. I have rocket socks that I was wearing at the time mine tore. While the initial tear hurt - I cannot describe the pain of trying to take that off when they got me to the dugout (I was umpiring a college softball game when I went down). When the season started, I wore braces on both legs. Now, I only wear one on my right leg (the "good" one). I am suffering from what my doc calls a "stress reaction". Caused by over compensating . . . I guess if the braces give you the feeling that they help keep wearing them, but from my experience and from what my doc said, they won't keep an injury from happening.