I'm happy to say that I woke up yesterday without Ankle pain for the first time all week.  It made me think a little about different approaches to things...

See, the Western approach to  "irritated tendons" (in my experience) has been ice and anti inflammatories. And rest.  The idea, as I understand it to soothe the irritation... the inflammation.  

The Eastern approach, as explained by my acupuncturist (so, TCM... traditional Chinese medicine) is that the area needs more "heat" - more Blood Flow, more circulation.  And rest.  She suggested I soak in a bath while "moving" the ankle and she gave me "warming" patch thing to put on it.

So yesterday, I went around with the Warming Patch, a fuzzy sock, and a legwarmer over the area.  And I rested it - aka I didn't walk, didn't "get my steps in".  I... brought more "heat" and blood flow to the area, allowing it to rest and heal, and, well, it helped!  

It made me think about how those are two very different approaches (ice/cool vs heat/warm) and to think a bit on how many other things may have different approaches that might work well for me that I'm just not aware of due to my culture and upbringing.

I'm sure the argument could be made that it was the rest that helped rather than anything else but it's not as if what I did was harmful.  Maybe it was the combination, maybe it was the heat, maybe it was... who knows?  I'm babbling.

I'm just thankful that my ankle didn't hurt me (even if it "tweaked" a few times when I was "exercising") and I'm curious about two very different ideas for healing/helping.