Achilles tendonitis

[Trey]

Figured I'd post in here as I haven't been able to find any other forums active enough on the subject of achilles pain. Here's my story:

I am in the military and although I was able to pass a PT test according to my services standards I could not achieve a score that my unit deemed was satisfactory. As a result I was forced to enter a 5 week PT boot camp.

The schedule was the same for everday for the entire 5 weeks. 30 to 45 minutes of calisthenics working all the major muscles followed by atleast a 4 mile run. 5 days a week for 5 weeks. By the 3rd week almost 90% of the people at the camp had some sort of injury. I sucked up my pain and continued the run until the last week when i just couldnt take the pain anymore.

The first 5 months after my injury consisted of the military doctors telling me to take Motrin, rest and heel lifts. Kind of hard to rest when you are at work on your feet walking in military boots for 10+ hours a day and come home to two kids 4 and 2 years old. But I did as I was told and my symptoms did not improve.

Finally a few months back I had had enough and demanded that I received an X-ray and an MRI to see if there was anything structural wrong. X-ray came back negative and the MRI showed no inflammation or swelling and only mild scarring according to the tech who read the results. I went back to my doctor and was told "motrin and rest".

I have recently started physical therapy which consists of stretching and range of motion exercises, all of which I had already been doing since the injury, and twice weekly IONTO treatments for 3 weeks. So far no change in my condition.

My pain is about at the same level as it was 7 months ago although now the pain has spread to just below the ankle on both sides of my foot as well as being on the back side of my heel and in my achilles. Right now walking, climbing stairs, hell even sitting is painful.

Have you guys ever known someone whose symptoms persisted this long and do you have any advice to give on how to improve my condition. The military doctors either dont know or dont care. Thank in advance.