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experience with healing metatarsalgia?
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I have had various recurrent issues related to inflammation and nerve disorders in my feet for many years. Over the years I've experienced what was diagnosed as Mortons Neuroma, a few bouts of gout, neuropathy and now a case of metatarsalgia. All are inherited conditions (it seems). Anybody have experience healing from metatarsalgia? That condition has presented itself on joint between big toe and its metatarsal recently, after doing the first long run outdoors of the winter season after running the past couple of months on the treadmill, which is far more cushioned.

I've dialed back running this past week - focusing effort on swimming and cycling - in an effort to give it some rest. I installed a GoodFeet orthotic in my running show (Hoka Clifton) to better support the arch (low arches) and that seems to help quite a bit. If i continue to run am i going to exacerbate the condition, or have those who've had this happen found that they can safely continue to run if they don't push the intensity while waiting for the body to recover and end the inflammation response?
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Re: experience with healing metatarsalgia? [Troutd0g] [ In reply to ]
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Have you tried metatarsal pads in your shoes? Might help.
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Re: experience with healing metatarsalgia? [Ann Arbor Jeff] [ In reply to ]
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I had foot pain under second toe. Tried everything then had a tarsal chondylectomy. Turns out I had a spur that was causing all the trouble. Have you had an x-ray to check for that?
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Re: experience with healing metatarsalgia? [m3bolton] [ In reply to ]
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Yes - xray shows no mechanical issues.
Adding a SuperFeet insole (green) has helped quite a bit. I halted running for 4 days and then resumed, but have not done any runs longer than 1 hour while waiting for it to heal a bit more. I will test it with a longer run this week. It seems to be improving on a glacial pace.

I'm going to try the metatarsal pads as suggested - i just don't want to defeat the arch support delivered by the SuperFeet insole, so not sure whether they can be used together or not. Seems like not to me.
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Re: experience with healing metatarsalgia? [Troutd0g] [ In reply to ]
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I'm fighting a neuroma now. Mine started last September, got a cortisone shot and everything was fine until early February when it flared up again. The doc did an MRI and gave me a second shot, which seemed to be working again, and I also tried using the Superfeet RUN. Everything seemed fine until this past Saturday and it flared again. I got a pair of Spenco Total Support Thin insoles as they have a metatarsal pad. I wore them around for a few days and they seem to work.

I tested them with an easy treadmill run this morning. While my foot didn't hurt, it didn't feel right either, almost numb feeling. The Spenco insoles do feel great just walking around the house, not so sure about running in them yet.

--------------------------
The secret of a long life is you try not to shorten it.
-Nobody
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Re: experience with healing metatarsalgia? [Troutd0g] [ In reply to ]
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I've been dealing with metatarsalgia & a neuroma for 15+ years now. I am 48 and am running about 50-60 miles per week. As my foot pads continue to degrade with age I don't expect I will be able eliminate the pain so I just keep trying to manage it as best as I can. For the neuroma, when it starts to flare up I wear wide toed shoes (like Altra's, NB wide etc) and stick a metatarsal pad on top of their insoles. When positioned right (behind the ball of the foot) this offloads the neuroma and helps a lot. I have also found that during periods where I am feeling more general foot pain (metatarsalgia - where I feel almost like I am running on bone) I move to very plush shoes (Clifton's, altra torn plush, NB 1090). In some cases like with my NB 1090's I cut the front off a second insole and stack it under the regular insole to add a little more cushioning. When possible I try to run on grass/dirt etc as much as possible (like I will run next to the side-walk or road on the grass if it looks level). It is interesting though because I go through periods where everything is mostly fine and I can move back down to responsive shoes with less stack but then after awhile I have to cycle back to high stack and protective.
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Re: experience with healing metatarsalgia? [Troutd0g] [ In reply to ]
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Thanks for the advice and anecdotes - very helpful. Here’s an update:
I replaced the factory insole in my hoka Cliftons with Superfeet RUN Comfort insoles. I also installed a pair of metatarsal pads on top of them, positioned in the pocket behind the metatarsal heads. This felt like too much stack up so I removed the metatarsal pads and did my last 2 long runs with just the upgraded insole. It worked well and I felt no discomfort during the run. I stopped going shoeless in the house and this has allowed it to heal quite a bit over the past several weeks.

I definitely have nerve issues in my feet and it doesn’t take much to set off an inflammation response that can take a week or more to resolve. Recently I was enjoying an hour session with the normatec sleeves the evening after a brick workout and my feet were not positioned well and the side pressure from the sleeves while it was fully inflated apparently triggered an inflammation and I had a sore foot for a couple days. It’s ridiculous how sensithey are. As others have said, I could fine for weeks or months and then suddenly they blow up.
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Re: experience with healing metatarsalgia? [Troutd0g] [ In reply to ]
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I had started a new thread on this, very similiar problems, copy/paste below

So, long battle with foot pain and looking for some advice, hopefully someone has experienced the same.

History – no significant problems prior to experiencing shin splints which took 6-9 months to fully clear-up. During this time I switched from a heel striker to a more forefoot style, mainly as a result of trying out some barefoot running on grass, also using Vibrams on the road. These seemed to help with the shin splints (along with physio and acupuncture) so I maintained this style.

Problem with ‘hot-foot’ first occurred during a 70.3, 1.5 mile into the run off a hilly bike course which I pushed really hard. It felt like someone was holding a blow torch to the sole of my feet, hence, I guess, where the term hot-foot comes from!
I’ve been to a couple of podiatrists, had custom orthotics, MRI, steroid injections, various trainers (Brooks, On Clouds, Hokas etc), but I still suffer from some numbness and mild pain in 2nd and 3rd toes & ball of foot after about 6-7 miles. I’m more of a mid-striker now.

Latest trip to podiatrist has resulted in him using some felt on the orthotics (not the custom ones as I found a pair on Amazon that are comfier and 10% of the cost of the custom ones) to spread out the load on the foot a bit better which seemed sensible, some improvement but 8-9 miles I can feel the numbness and pain coming.

I do think this is linked to the bike and tight calves, possibly hamstrings. I foam roll before and after running (this has helped a bit suggesting it is calf related) and stretch throughout the week, but probably nowhere near as much as I should. I also feel some minor numbness when on the bike, G8 variable insoles have cured most of this, but I still feel it on longer / harder rides.

I think (although have never really been diagnosed) I have Morton’s neuroma / Metatarsalgia as the symptoms and foot type (high arch, long 2nd toes) are very similar.

Have read different things on here ref wearing racing flats, or super cushioned, use orthotics / avoid orthotics, so am totally confused on what direction to go.
I’ve my first IM race this year so at this stage I will try anything!!
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Re: experience with healing metatarsalgia? [Neil_McC] [ In reply to ]
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Update:

I think I found the cause of these mysterious flareups!
I believe it is trigger by compression. While doing a 1 hour session with Normatec compression leg sleeves, my foot wasn't well positioned and it caused some pressure on the lateral sides of one foot. The next day I woke up with an episode of this. A second episode occurred after wearing compression foot sleeves to bed and fall asleep with them on. Woke up hours later and removed them and the next day I had it in both feet.
While watching the UK olympic marathon trials last week, the top competitor pulled out of the race due to a case of gout in the ankle. He had slept with compression sleeves on his calves after a 24 mile hard run and woke up to gout in the ankle. I'm going to avoid utilizing compression as a recovery method while I work to understand this better.

My current bout of pain is progressively subsiding and the swelling is going down daily. I've found a way to continue training despite the pain without making matters worse. Here's what I've found works for me:

- ice the ball of the foot for 20 mins daily with a cold wrap (one of the flexible kind that you put in the freezer and can insert into sleeves). I use a paper towel between it and the skin to prevent freezing the skin.
- elevate the foot several times per day
- don't compress (with ace bandage) - the compression seems to be one of the causes of the issue
- install metatarsal pads on top of good orthotics (I use Superfeet Run Comfort), being careful to get them positioned in the void behind the metatarsals, not under them.
- avoid kicking off the wall during wall turns while swimming
- all running is on the treadmill while I recover

My longest run during this bout has been 1:15:00 and it went fine with the orthotics and metatarsal pads.
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Re: experience with healing metatarsalgia? [Troutd0g] [ In reply to ]
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Hi everyone,
Been reading about metatarsalgia issues. Anyone have a good pad for the feet for this? Also, how long does it take to heal from this? Here's a twist--anyone have metatarsalgia and (mild) hammer toe on the 2nd toe?

Thanks in advance for help, suggestions, etc.

KK
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Re: experience with healing metatarsalgia? [Kat_Kong] [ In reply to ]
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Look in to shock wave therapy at a podiatrist. I suffered from metatarsalgia for a long time. Someone casually mentioned SWT here in a Slowtwitch thread some years back. I'd heard of it. Researched a little further. Asked my podiatrist about it. They actually did it for free on the one foot that was troubling me at the time. After warning about how bad it could hurt, I didn't feel much of anything. I thought it was stupid and therefore, that there was no way it would have any affect. It was gradual over the next few runs, but I was stunned it went away. Every time I felt the slightest tingle, I thought it was coming back but it never did. The other foot started hurting (the severity of both would come and go) so I asked about another treatment. Willing to pay. They considered it the other half of the total free treatment. Same results. No pain since. They'll want to sell you a package of 4 visits for $500ish. Don't do it. At least not immediately. YMMV. I told them they probably didn't want to hear it but one treatment did the trick.

cock-up before conspiracy
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Re: experience with healing metatarsalgia? [Troutd0g] [ In reply to ]
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Another update:

Pain is almost entirely gone. Took 8 weeks from onset of symptoms and spread to 4 of 5 metatarsals on each foot, until pain free. The combination of adding Superfeet Run Comfort insoles + metatarsal pads + icing feet after runs + applying CBD cream twice a day to the metatarsal ends along with massage of those tissues. The CBD cream was from EBM and is very high quality but pricey ($150 USD) a bottle. I got it from the podiatrist and it has made a big difference.
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Re: experience with healing metatarsalgia? [Troutd0g] [ In reply to ]
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Were the insoles specifically for metatarsalgia? I have looked at them and there are several types of them. Which meta pads worked for you? Thanks!

P.S. Congrants on this getting better for you!
Last edited by: Kat_Kong: May 9, 21 19:16
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Re: experience with healing metatarsalgia? [Kat_Kong] [ In reply to ]
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The insoles are not specifically for metatarsalgia. Superfeet makes a run-specific insole called "Run Comfort" - that is what I installed and its worked well for me. For the metatarsal pads I installed them directly onto the Superfeet - they are Power Step pads https://www.powerstep.com/...arsal-foot-pads.html

They key is to get them positioned correctly so that they are comfortable and reduce impact on the metatarsal ends. They fit into the small pocket behind the metatarsals - toward the front of the arch.
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