A few days after running a half-marathon in racing flats (2.5 weeks ago), I noticed some tenderness/pain on the outside/bottom of my left foot, right at the bony “bump” midway between heel and little toe, which I believe is called the tuberosity of the 5th metatarsal. I’ve backed way off on the mileage, iced the area about once a day. But the pain has persisted with about the same intensity (mild but annoying).
Obviously, if it persists I’ll be heading to a doc for a hands-on diagnosis. But I’m wondering if there’s a fairly likely answer and solution someone could offer. Based on some other posts I scanned, I’m wondering if it matches a diagnosis by rroof of “insertional peroneus brevis tendonopathy.” And if so, I’m wondering if there are some basic steps I can take to address it (in addition to ice and rest).
A few more details that might be helpful: I can run, and the pain seems to subside after a few minutes running, but then returns post run. It is tender with pressure only on a specific spot on the tuberosity. I’ve had chronic tightness in the achilles/calf, and have also been dealing with some muscle tightness in the left side of the hips, which has definitely altered my stride a bit on the left. But I’ve been gradually building up mileage over 6 months despite the hip tightness, and while the race was a notch higher on the intensity and use of racing flats, the distance wasn’t anything out of the ordinary.
with your description, insertional peroneus brevis tendonopathy is most likely. Occasionally, a stress fracture/reaction can occur of the styloid process (base of the 5th met). A small percentage of the population also can have a small accessory ossicle near there (os peroneum) and that can pre-dispose you to pain/irritation in the area as well.
As sentania mentioned, avulsion fractures of the styloid are pretty common injuries as well - but they are usually associated with an acute traumatic incident (esp inversion ankle injuries).
A hairline fracture is also another possibility. An x-ray may not pick it up and a MRI might be then needed if point tenderness continues. A hairline fracture should not require surgery with an internal screw but it might require immobilization. See if a walking boot/air cast can be utilized with permission to take it off for swimming and indoor cycling. Good luck as I’m in the same boat.
Sorry, due to lack of medical expertise, not sure what you mean by inversion. If you mean did I have some traumatic incident (foot/ankle twisting), then no. Nothing like that. Just started showing up a few days after the race.
So are you saying - get to a doctor and stop messing around with online diagnoses? Or should I try treating it as tendinopathy for a week or two and see what happens. If the latter, do you have suggestions about what I should be doing to help it along (ice, specific stretches, wear certain shoes, avoid certain other kinds of shoes, etc.)?
One other question re. how to deal with it if it’s tendinopathy. Should I avoid running altogether, or can I go on some short easy runs? I want to get past this injury, but I hate doing no runs at all.
You need to get a firm diagnosis first before any recs can be made. Having said that, you have the typical type-A question we all do “can I run/train through this”? Again, can’t be answered until you get a diagnosis. Most docs would recommend to stop running for just about any LE pathology. But in reality, you can train through many - try to seek out a like mended fella/gal. Best of luck.