As is the case with most of us who have been doing endurance sports for any length of time, the occasional injury rears it's ugly head. Seems like every other year for me. The current one has been ongoing since about August. In the past, I've had long-lasting ones that eventually resolved with little or no action on my part. This one bugs me. I was still able to do 2 50Ks, a 50-miler and a trail marathon since having this as well as two half IMs and one full IM.
Background:
No specific traumatic injury...just gradually appeared. I do run quite a bit (25-60 mpw depending on upcoming races) as I do several ultras per year.
Symptoms:
Pain that feels like my toe is dislocating or broken at the spot I'm pointing to with the pen in this pic:
I start out on a run not really feeling it (I run in Hoka Bondi 3s and Altra Olympus and haven't changed shoes for years). After about an hour of running, I start to feel mild pain in that spot (deep in the joint) and then "bam"...a sudden pain that feels like my big toe has dislocated at the joint. I stop running (because it hurts too much to run), and reach down and push really hard with my thumb on that spot and massage it for 10 seconds and then I can run again for another 1/4 mile before that sharp pain hits again.
On some runs, that sharp pain doesn't come, but I do have a general ache of that spot after the run, and I have to walk somewhat gingerly on that foot almost all the time now to avoid lots of pain.
Oddly, in the 50-miler, I had the sharp pain around 1/3 of the way into the race and then zero pain in this area for not only the rest of the race, but the next two weeks after...almost as if I'd "popped it back into joint".
How I've treated it:
I have bought super-stiff carbon inserts for my "walk around" shoes that seem to help, but don't eliminate this dull ache.
I have put my old orthotics from an old foot issue I had inside my running shoes that offloads the first met and that helps a bit with staving off the sharp dislocation pain feeling until later in the long run.
My theories:
Pre-dislocation syndrome?
Neuroma?
Hallux Rigidus?
I guess my next move is going to the podiatrist, but I wanted to throw this up here in case any of you in the know might have some theories. I find myself avoiding jumping on the trampoline with my son to avoid the pain, and thinking twice about my next ultra to avoid injuring further. I want to get this resolved. Anyone?
Thanks in advance...
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My business-eBodyboarding.com
Background:
No specific traumatic injury...just gradually appeared. I do run quite a bit (25-60 mpw depending on upcoming races) as I do several ultras per year.
Symptoms:
Pain that feels like my toe is dislocating or broken at the spot I'm pointing to with the pen in this pic:
I start out on a run not really feeling it (I run in Hoka Bondi 3s and Altra Olympus and haven't changed shoes for years). After about an hour of running, I start to feel mild pain in that spot (deep in the joint) and then "bam"...a sudden pain that feels like my big toe has dislocated at the joint. I stop running (because it hurts too much to run), and reach down and push really hard with my thumb on that spot and massage it for 10 seconds and then I can run again for another 1/4 mile before that sharp pain hits again.
On some runs, that sharp pain doesn't come, but I do have a general ache of that spot after the run, and I have to walk somewhat gingerly on that foot almost all the time now to avoid lots of pain.
Oddly, in the 50-miler, I had the sharp pain around 1/3 of the way into the race and then zero pain in this area for not only the rest of the race, but the next two weeks after...almost as if I'd "popped it back into joint".
How I've treated it:
I have bought super-stiff carbon inserts for my "walk around" shoes that seem to help, but don't eliminate this dull ache.
I have put my old orthotics from an old foot issue I had inside my running shoes that offloads the first met and that helps a bit with staving off the sharp dislocation pain feeling until later in the long run.
My theories:
Pre-dislocation syndrome?
Neuroma?
Hallux Rigidus?
I guess my next move is going to the podiatrist, but I wanted to throw this up here in case any of you in the know might have some theories. I find myself avoiding jumping on the trampoline with my son to avoid the pain, and thinking twice about my next ultra to avoid injuring further. I want to get this resolved. Anyone?
Thanks in advance...
------------------
My business-eBodyboarding.com
