I'm interested to hear how your story progresses. I don't remember when I first noticed my feet were shaped like my grandmothers but know at age 13 my bunions were already painful. Progressively so until walking made me stop within ~300 yd to wince the pain back. Had 1st halus valgus repair in 1995, was given custom orthotics and also warned that my young age meant I might need re-fix later in life. 2nd surgery (other foot) in 2009, this surgeon didn't suggest orthotics.

I need arch support. My feet really ache and cramp w/o it but the orthotics from '95 are of such thick construction they foul up the fit of almost all shoes (heel too high within shoe and slipping out while walking). I had been using Superfeet in the later half/portion of the 2000's and discovered their yellow, narrowerer model around 2013. It seemed so much better, supported my arches, didn't lead to arch blisters like the green ones did, fit into my cycling shoes and hockey skates...

Somewhere along the line I stopped toeing off of my right big toe. Pre 1st surgery I'd say, to reduce the pain from flexing that joint. After surgery I was to work the joint but it frankly doesn't feel right still. Altered sensation there. I think my foot rotated inward so I could more easily toe off from the outside edge of that foot. As time went by (get tired, distracted while running) I'd trip from catching that foot on my other leg when bringing the twisted foot forward to stride.

Discovered labrum tear in 2013 (right leg, same as 1st foot surgery). Discovered leg length difference (right is longer) in 2014. Had labrum repaired in March this year.

Here's the update. I think foot support is important for me. My yellow superfeet no longer seem right. I feel I'm missing support under my right big toe, right where my original custom orthotics provide it. I notice a tangible difference in my right/surgical hip comfort if I rotate my foot a bit straighter, putting pressure right on that big toe joint, and then tensing my foot to lift the arch. But my foot cramps if I bear load while doing that. (Single leg drills are foot torture.)

So to make a terribly long story hopefully somewhat useful, I'm going to revisit a foot doc to inquire about new custom orthotics that will hopefully be modern enough to fit in shoes I wear. (ps, at least 2 friends have said I dress like a lesbian, particularly my shoes, so it's not like I wear some frilly impractical ones.)

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To breathe, to feel, to know I'm alive.

Thanks for the reply.

I recently read an interesting article where the guy said any time he sees a runner with toe issue, he is sure they have a hip issue too, all this stuff seems connected in a big chain of events.

To kind of summarize my physio's thoughts, they think my CAM/FAI issue causes my bad stride, which in turn eventually caused the bunion type pain on that side, which in turn may be causing my year long hamstring tendonopathy...

Surgeon wants an MRI to see if I have a labral tear in the hip with CAM/FAI, but has also said to me that there is really no easy fix for the CAM/FAI, and to live with it as long as possible before trying surgery... My hip seems to always hurt when sitting in a car. He thinks the hip is causing that, physio thinks its nerve (also have nerve pain front of quad when sitting).

Ugghh... feel free to PM me if you want to share any further progress/tips! I'm in to get casted for orthotics in about 2.5 weeks...

I have had similar issues with stiff big toes/ feet. Ages ago my physio picked up on the joints in my big toes being stiff. This created issues with stiff lower legs an the Achilles issues. I really struggle running wise now. I seem to get lots of issues with my feet now in the arch and above. My feet tend to be like claws when I wake up now. I have wondered if surgery may help.

This is a long presumption up the kinetic chain. You are experiencing lateral knee pain, has the knee been address or ruled out before you started looking other places?

Well, just to be clear, it is the bicep femoris (sp?) right behind and above the knee that is sore after running. So I never really considered it 'knee' pain, my knee in general feels fine, the bicep femoris hurts.

That area may be sore and painful, but to assume that is the pain generating structure is the problem. Pain can be referred to that spot from multiple locations without the hamstring, or portion of it, being the issue. Typically, one should rule out the joint that is closest in proximity to the pain first before moving to other areas as causes. My thought would be to check out the knee first and see if there are problems with sustained or repeated end range flexion and/or extension.