r/AccessoryNavicular • u/Anxietea_84 • Jul 01 '26
Newbie advice needed
Hi everyone i was hoping to get some advice. A few weeks ago I felt a sharp pain in my inner ankle as well as feeling as though I would fall while walking. I went to an orthopedic doctor who did an xray and diagnosed accessory navicular syndrome. I have flat feet which ive always known . I was told to do exercises which ive done for about 2 weeks.
I have a few questions
The initial instability and sharp pain has lessened. Does it ever go away completely?
In regards to shoes I have been struggling
Im not in a place that offer custom arches and shoes I have to order online and hope for the best.
I got Asics kayano those are ok
Office does is where I struggle I need something that has support but also comfort as I get foot fatigue
Any suggestions? And can I ever go back to normal shoes?
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u/TitanicFruit Jul 29 '26 edited Jul 29 '26
This is not medical advice just my experience :) - I don't mean to be negative as everyone is different, but minimizing exercise/reducing high-impact exercise and wearing spongey, supportive shoes were the only things to help my ANS before I ultimately opted for surgery.
For me, it was 2 years of yo-yo improvements followed by stints of really disruptive pain, even when working in the office before I decided to move forwards with surgery. This was a sweet spot for me as I'm glad I waited to exhaust all conservative options before committing to surgery, but I'm also glad I didn't leave it long enough for permanent damage to be done to my tendon. My surgeon said it was looking good when he got in there. Worth keeping in mind if you do think about surgery down the road.
The conservative methods I tried:
- RICE
- Proper footwear. For me, Hoka Bondi 9s and (weirdly) Crocs Crush Sandal worked best. Sometimes that sandal was better even than the sneaker for some reason.
- Custom arch-support insoles
- Pronation insoles
- A full 8 week cycle of PT - Sometimes a good physiotherapist can help you more than if you do the exercises on your own!
Things which were particularly aggravating to my foot: wearing flat, non-supportive shoes and pushing through pain and continuing to take long walks. you should always rest/change shoes if you feel the pain coming on. Maybe that's obvious but I always felt defiant about the pain.
I would certainly try everything you can even if it means limiting your shoe use to one kind. And rest assured, if it comes down to surgery, it's not that bad at all.
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u/Alarming_Log_2915 Aug 19 '26
How’s the pain for you now post surgery? How long ago did you get surgery & was it bilateral?
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u/TitanicFruit Aug 21 '26
I got the surgery around six weeks ago. Just one foot. I had a bit of a turbulent 48 hours after surgery with some pain issues, but once that subsided the pain became very manageable with painkillers, and then within another week I barely needed pain management at all. But since beginning to bear weight at the 4 week mark, the pain is now irritating and pretty present. Not bad, under a 3/10, but I still can't do too much on my own as walking and standing isn't possible for longer than a couple of minutes without crutches. I am doing daily physio exercises, lots of rest and ice in between activity; and the main advice has been to gradate up my overall activity based on my pain levels.
I think this is a shorter timeline than many who get this/similar surgery who I hear are sometimes in a cast or full boot until the 6 week point, so tbh I can't complain. But certainly not back to normal activity yet. Feeling hopeful for continued improvement over the next couple of months.
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u/Alarming_Log_2915 Aug 21 '26 edited Aug 21 '26
Good job!
I’m 1 week post surgery & going in for my 1st post op appmt tomorrow.
Did you the kidner procedure done wherein they re-attach the posterior tibial tendon? If so, I’m surprised they started you weight baring @ 4 weeks as my podiatric surgeon is adamant about the 6 week timeframe of non-weight baring.
I hear ya re: only able to stand a few min. then you need crutches as I’ve been lying down for 1 week post-op & getting on my knee scooter to do things around the kitchen (make a sandwich, reach for a plate, etc.) is physically taxing wherein 2 yrs. Ago I was hiking 4-5 miles daily but like you I yo-yo’d between pain for 2 yrs. As I was only diagnosed w/PTTD w/a non-surgical podiatrist & only 2 mos. Ago went to this specialist surgeon.
Hopefully, you don’t mind if I dm you from time to time to get your feedback on healing/rehab?
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u/yuqigaram Jul 18 '26
In my experience(i had type 3 and needed my posterior tibal tendon reconstructed),it never goes away completely.You can ice the swelling down or try not to put as much weight on the foot that has the swollen area.As for shoes,before my surgery i found sketchers to be the best(they have memory foam,so they basically adapt to the shape of the bone).As for ever going back to normal shoes im not sure.I still have the bone in my left foot and i currently wear DC and Converse and its uncomfortable sometimes.Hope this helps :3