Has anyone else fractured a metatarsal in Newtons?

borgerendurance

Apr 26, 13 9:45

Post #1 of 44 (14809 views)

I am curious if anyone else has had a serious metatarsal injury while in (I can't quite say from) Newton shoes. I took months off of triathlon (zero running) before starting back up in January, very lightly. I decided to try Newton shoes. I'd been a Brooks Adrenaline user for 10 years, and a heal spur and ITBS last year led me to trying something crazy so I tried Newtons. At that point I was willing to try anything. I started light. I ran in them for 3 weeks, mostly on the treadmill, about 2-3 times a week, up to 6 miles max. So, 8-9 runs at most in the Newtons. On run #7 or 8 I got a dull ache in my foot, which kept getting worse. After run #9, I couldn't run again.

Fast forward til now, I have not run in 2/12 months, the pain never got any better until 3 weeks ago. I would limp around after rides. Walking even hurt. PT's treated me for peroneal tendonitis, did Graston in the area, dry needling, etc. I had a chance to get a free MRI 2 days ago, so went it. MRI showed a slightly discplaced fracture of the base of the 5th metatarsal.
I've been a runner all my life, never had a stress fracture, never broken a bone, never been injury prone, etc. I can't believe that 8 or 9 short runs did this. I'm shocked. Naturally, all I can think about is how I never should have tried Newtons. The ends of the lugs seem to be aligned with the 5th metatarsal area that broke. Now I will be in a walking boot, have to get x-rays Monday to see if the displacement is large or small. Has anyone had any 5th metatarsal issues after switching to Newtons? It's not my intention to blame Newton shoes (obviously thousands of people love the shoes and they work great for them), simply wondering if anyone else has every had something like this happen.

Last edited by: borgerendurance: Apr 26, 13 9:58

Re: Has anyone else fractured a metatarsal in Newtons? [borgerendurance] [ In reply to ]

Apr 26, 13 9:53

Post #2 of 44 (14794 views)

I've had 3 separate metatarsal fractures but all were before Newton's were invented, and when I was between 40-45 yrs old. However, I ran the Atlanta 1/2M in Newton's early this year and 5 days later ruptured the plantar fascia in my left foot. When it happened, I not only felt it, I heard it, and I thought I cracked a metatarsal. I don't fault the Newton's though. It was mostly due to training entirely on flat roads all winter, then running a very hilly race in Atlanta, followed by insufficient recovery (i.e., speedwork the Wed after resulting in a sore foot Thu and the rupture Friday).

Best of luck on your recovery. My past experience was that a stress fracture in the foot took 4 weeks of no running + 4 weeks of walking before a return to running.

Last edited by: HuffNPuff: Apr 26, 13 9:54

Re: Has anyone else fractured a metatarsal in Newtons? [borgerendurance] [ In reply to ]

Apr 26, 13 11:08

Post #3 of 44 (14729 views)

While I did not fracture anything, I definitely had some metatarsal pain when I ran in Newton's. For me, I think I was striking too far forward, so landing right on the lugs, rather than landing on the mid-foot and toeing off on the lugs. I could be wrong (and I know ST will correct me if I am), but I think the lugs are there to help you find that spot right behind them for a true mid-foot strike, while landing on them just concentrates more pressure on your metatarsals. I like Newton's better now that I've changed the way I land in them, but for the most part I mainly run in Kinvaras now.

Re: Has anyone else fractured a metatarsal in Newtons? [borgerendurance] [ In reply to ]

Apr 26, 13 11:36

Post #4 of 44 (14692 views)

In this case it seems that the shoes are not to blame, but its probably you that's to blame. Let me explain. You have been running for about 10 years in the same shoe and than you stopped running due to an injury at the bottom of your feet. So your feet and tendons were more or less being put at the same angles (high heel, low forefoot) and cushioning system with the brooks shoes. Then you need to stop running for several months so all the muscles, tendons and ligaments get weaker due to the fact that you are not running and you don't use them the way you did. And when you finally can run again you are going to a completely different type of shoe that needs a different type of running form. You probably put too much stress, different stress then you were used to, when you started running again and that was likely the case that resulted in cracking your 5th metatarsal.

Regards,

Jeroen van Geelen

Owner at TRIPRO, The Netherlands

Re: Has anyone else fractured a metatarsal in Newtons? [tri-run] [ In reply to ]

borgerendurance

Apr 26, 13 11:44

Post #5 of 44 (14665 views)

Sounds about right. I'm shocked that my foot got weak enough to crack simply from that, but I guess so. And I'm shocked that the difference in shoes was enough to crank it under these conditions.

Re: Has anyone else fractured a metatarsal in Newtons? [borgerendurance] [ In reply to ]

Apr 26, 13 11:52

Post #6 of 44 (14647 views)

Born to Run is the largest boon to podiatrists in the history of foot injuries.

Re: Has anyone else fractured a metatarsal in Newtons? [borgerendurance] [ In reply to ]

Apr 26, 13 11:52

Post #7 of 44 (14643 views)

How much walking were you going in your time off. If you had zero weight bearing activity, then what was said above applies...everything would be a lot weaker. Generally North Americans don't spend a lot of time on their feet unless they walk dogs :-(

Re: Has anyone else fractured a metatarsal in Newtons? [devashish_paul] [ In reply to ]

borgerendurance

Apr 26, 13 11:55

Post #8 of 44 (14636 views)

devashish_paul wrote:

How much walking were you going in your time off. If you had zero weight bearing activity, then what was said above applies...everything would be a lot weaker. Generally North Americans don't spend a lot of time on their feet unless they walk dogs :-(

I was walking a lot. I was selling roofs, frequently walking on roofs. I wore everything from Brooks Adrenalines, Adrenaline trail shoes to Merril Gloves (minimal shoes, almost like Vibrams)...great for scaling roofs. (Now someone is going to say the Merril's caused it :)... maybe the slopes of the roofs, etc. Hmmmm....now you've got me thinking. I had zero issues until the Newtons, so don't think it had anything to do with walking on roofs occasionally.

Last edited by: borgerendurance: Apr 26, 13 12:02

Re: Has anyone else fractured a metatarsal in Newtons? [borgerendurance] [ In reply to ]

Apr 26, 13 12:04

Post #9 of 44 (14619 views)

My Newton Running coach had to take time off from running to have a baby. When she got back to it and was training for a 13.1, she had some foot pain too. Her stance is that Newton's require VERY strong feet. She usually has her "kids" do barefoot beach drills once a week to strengthen the lower leg/foot muscles. During my marathon training I did not do the drills. I felt the pain.

This, combined with your time off could have just made an existing problem worse? Treadmill running may have something to do with it too? And age...ahhh age.

And no one has asked, but which Newton's are you in?

Re: Has anyone else fractured a metatarsal in Newtons? [MrsTiki] [ In reply to ]

borgerendurance

Apr 26, 13 12:09

Post #10 of 44 (14612 views)

MrsTiki wrote:

And age...ahhh age. And no one has asked, but which Newton's are you in?

yikes, but I'm only 28.. guess I'm getting old. Newton Motion I believe... the stability version

Re: Has anyone else fractured a metatarsal in Newtons? [borgerendurance] [ In reply to ]

Apr 26, 13 12:20

Post #11 of 44 (14577 views)

I broke my 5th metatarsal while running in Newtons three years ago. I really liked them and was running great with no pain until the injury. It was a sudden crack during a tempo run followed by two weeks in a cast and six weeks in a boot. I did a run in them about a year after and it started to hurt again so I will never run in them again.

Re: Has anyone else fractured a metatarsal in Newtons? [borgerendurance] [ In reply to ]

Apr 26, 13 12:29

Post #12 of 44 (14553 views)

Perhaps the Newton design influenced your gait pattern to a stressed level damaging that 5th met. I know you're not implying that you're convinced the shoes are to blame and I don't think they are either. Hey, you're asking for opinions, so that's what you're getting, right?
So many of our problems/injuries/aches aren't equipment related. Some most certainly are and sometimes a piece of gear should work and it doesn't for some even with strong fundamentals behind 'em.
Best of luck getting back in action.

Re: Has anyone else fractured a metatarsal in Newtons? [AmaDablam] [ In reply to ]

Apr 26, 13 12:32

Post #13 of 44 (14543 views)

AmaDablam wrote:

Born to Run is the largest boon to podiatrists in the history of foot injuries.

^This^ might be the most ridiculous statement ever posted on ST.

________________________________________________________________________
"That doesn't make any sense at all, you can be second, third, fourth... hell you can even be fifth." - Reese Bobby, Taladega nights

Re: Has anyone else fractured a metatarsal in Newtons? [jmeyerle] [ In reply to ]

Apr 26, 13 12:33

Post #14 of 44 (14541 views)

jmeyerle, ouch! That's pretty convincing your Newtons were to blame. So many variables, maybe your pattern just doesn't work with the Newton design. Sorry to hear it was a disaster!

Re: Has anyone else fractured a metatarsal in Newtons? [crolson24] [ In reply to ]

Apr 26, 13 12:41

Post #15 of 44 (14520 views)

crolson24 wrote:

AmaDablam wrote:

Born to Run is the largest boon to podiatrists in the history of foot injuries.

^This^ might be the most ridiculous statement ever posted on ST.

Actually he's right. Podiatrists been noting an influx of people with injuries from minimalist shoes.

Re: Has anyone else fractured a metatarsal in Newtons? [borgerendurance] [ In reply to ]

Apr 26, 13 12:45

Post #16 of 44 (14503 views)

I am just coming off my second fx in 2 years. Same spot, opposite foot. I am told it is from years of forefoot landing and being a slight (hardly imho)middle aged woman. When I did this second one, I was actually running in a more minimal shoe. I have a pair of newtons that I won at a race, everyone says they take awhile to adjust, I had no problems as I always run very forefoot, which is why I find it weird that I break my metatarsal when I was actually trying to run mid foot and alleviate striking my toes which are messed up from jamming them over many years.

Re: Has anyone else fractured a metatarsal in Newtons? [borgerendurance] [ In reply to ]

Apr 26, 13 12:49

Post #17 of 44 (14493 views)

borgerendurance wrote:

MrsTiki wrote:

Newton Motion I believe... the stability version

(Glad you didn't say MV2!) Where were you fitted for your Newton's? I have been fitted by Newton at the Boston Marathon Expo and by a Newton retailer at the WDW expo. Each time I firmly believed that a certain size was the right one for me, but was told flat out no - the lug placement was wrong - and I needed to size up or down. This was based on where the lugs hit on my foot and it wasn't the obvious choice for me. It's a tricky fit and if it's not right I bet they had something to do with the fracture for sure.

Re: Has anyone else fractured a metatarsal in Newtons? [crolson24] [ In reply to ]

Apr 26, 13 12:53

Post #18 of 44 (14485 views)

Quote:

AmaDablam wrote:

Born to Run is the largest boon to podiatrists in the history of foot injuries.

^This^ might be the most ridiculous statement ever posted on ST.

You haven't been following ST long enough... :)

Last edited by: Tryin': Apr 26, 13 12:55

Re: Has anyone else fractured a metatarsal in Newtons? [borgerendurance] [ In reply to ]

Apr 26, 13 13:14

Post #19 of 44 (14452 views)

Newtons are not big on cushioning. You can get the same low heel or low "ramp angle" by running in Hoka One Ones with the added benenfit of extreme cushioning.

http://www.postandcourier.com/...t-fitness-shoe-craze

Re: Has anyone else fractured a metatarsal in Newtons? [borgerendurance] [ In reply to ]

Apr 26, 13 13:14

Post #20 of 44 (14452 views)

Newtons are not big on cushioning. You can get the same low heel or low "ramp angle" by running in Hoka One Ones with the added benenfit of extreme cushioning.

http://www.postandcourier.com/...t-fitness-shoe-craze

Re: Has anyone else fractured a metatarsal in Newtons? [Nick_Barkley] [ In reply to ]

Apr 26, 13 13:31

Post #21 of 44 (14423 views)

Nick_Barkley wrote:

crolson24 wrote:

AmaDablam wrote:

Born to Run is the largest boon to podiatrists in the history of foot injuries.

^This^ might be the most ridiculous statement ever posted on ST.

Actually he's right. Podiatrists been noting an influx of people with injuries from minimalist shoes.

Oh, good point. Definitely the "LARGEST BOON" for podiatry. I think they have even stopped seeing people for corns, bunyons, and plantar warts because of this "influx" of "Born to Run" followers.

I bet podiatrists even financed the writing of the book. There, now we have both said rediculous things.

________________________________________________________________________
"That doesn't make any sense at all, you can be second, third, fourth... hell you can even be fifth." - Reese Bobby, Taladega nights

Re: Has anyone else fractured a metatarsal in Newtons? [Nick_Barkley] [ In reply to ]

Apr 26, 13 13:32

Post #22 of 44 (14419 views)

Nick_Barkley wrote:

crolson24 wrote:

AmaDablam wrote:

Born to Run is the largest boon to podiatrists in the history of foot injuries.

^This^ might be the most ridiculous statement ever posted on ST.

Actually he's right. Podiatrists been noting an influx of people with injuries from minimalist shoes.

I had foot pain on and off most of last season. Late in the season I decided to try Newtons, specifically the Gravity. I was working them into my rotation for about 6 weeks. I was at the the point of using them for my shorter runs of about an hour, but was still using my older shoes for my long runs. It was on one of these long runs that I started experiencing major foot pain. I didn't run on it for 3 weeks and then, at IM70.3 Austin, I fractured my 3rd metatarsal. I really can't say whether it was the Newtons or whether they contributed.

My podiatrist, Dr. Kevin Kirby in Sacramento, was suspicious it was the latter. He is pretty traditional and I can swear I see him cringe at the word "minimal," but he knows his stuff and has treated many, many competitive runners throughout the years. My ART chiropractor, who is part of the ART Ironman Network and a triathlete himself, also stated displeasure with Newtons, recommending a more midfoot stride and describing Newtons as forefoot running, as opposed to "natural running." He recommended trying other brands if I wanted to try a more "minimalist" shoe, although he did not recommend any brand in particular. My own experience with Newtons, other than my stress fracture, is that they made me much more conscious of my stride. However, I also noticed that they are designed to make you run a certain way. I think the jury is still out as to whether this is the best way for everyone to run or whether Newtons are good for people who already have a Newton running style.

Re: Has anyone else fractured a metatarsal in Newtons? [kenpetruzzelli] [ In reply to ]

Apr 26, 13 13:39

Post #23 of 44 (14403 views)

kenpetruzzelli wrote:

My podiatrist, Dr. Kevin Kirby in Sacramento

You are a very lucky man! I wish I had the opportunity to have him as my podiatrist.

Re: Has anyone else fractured a metatarsal in Newtons? [kenpetruzzelli] [ In reply to ]

Apr 26, 13 16:12

Post #24 of 44 (14325 views)

I seem to have the same issue. I rattle off brands that I have used to my podiatrist and he doesn't seem to like any, but doesn't't recommended any. I need cushion in the forefoot...besides wearing wearing a heavily cushioned shoe....I usually go into gel nimbus coming off any injury, but they are so heavy that I toe down and end up tripping on pavement.

Re: Has anyone else fractured a metatarsal in Newtons? [borgerendurance] [ In reply to ]

Apr 26, 13 16:31

Post #25 of 44 (14303 views)

sounds like "newton foot". some people the shoes work for.... for others it's a string of foot problems from the instant they put them on. I know of probably a dozen folks that have had stress fractures from the lugs.

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