Foot injury.. What could be wrong?

About 4 months ago I hurt my foot playing football. Someone kicked me on my left foot as I went in for a challenge and it hurt! I had a huge lump on it and it was faint purple under the skin. It hurt when I did everyday things like drive or walk. I went to the doctors after about a week, and she told me I had ripped my tendon/pulled a tendon in my foot?

It seemed to heal 85/90% after 3 months, but still does not feel right. I've been playing football on it now for 3 weeks and there is no pain while running. But someone kicked me on it again and it hurt. The lump, although gone down has now come back and if I twist my foot it hurts. I thought I'd damaged a bone or something... But, it's getting very frustrating now. What could be the problem with it healing?

Tendons are made out of collagen plus some other stuff. The turnover rate for collagen is 300-500 days. That indicates it takes over a year for the repaired tendon to resemble what a normal / non-injured tendon. Plus the new collagen made after injury is first held together by polar bonds which are weak and can easily be broken by excessive motion. Only after 6 months does the polar bonds convert to covalent bonds. Covalent bonds are stronger and cannnot be broken by motion.

This explains how you got re-injured after 3 months. Once you get the inflammation and swelling down - you have to protect it while it has to heal all over again. Remember it will take >1yr for absolute healing but you can continue to participate in sports before then. Use a brace for some protection at least until the 6 month mark where the bonds between collagen are strong enough.

Hope this helps. . . .

go to specialist sports doctor they can diagnose it better. i think its not the bone, its the muscle.

I have a good suggestion for your healing problem. Do not mention what is hurting you. Just go to an Evangelist Christian Church for prayer. God is doing miracles today. And you will receive your miracle and will be heal for good. Believe. I was healed of back pains. Yes, God is a healing God. All what you have to do is to believe. If you can not believe, just ask God to help you to believe and it will be done. You are bless and you don't know it. Go and found you bless.

Suggest you go to a clinic that deals with sports injuries, those Dr's are specialists in this fiels.

Get an MRI, and see a foot and/or sports doctor. They can help you the best because they know what they are dealing with.