A couple weeks back on mile 7 of an 8 mile run I started to experience some discomfort while pushing off of my left foot. I didn’t think much of it as it was pain level 2 of 10. Just to be extra cautious I iced a bit and took a couple weeks off from running (continued the swim and bike regiment). Last week while doing a relatively short brick (18mi bike/3.1 mi run) I began to experience the pain again only on push off. It doesn’t hurt with the impact of the foot just the push off The day after was more sore than the last time (no visible swelling in the foot at all) so I decided to go to the local foot and ankle center and saw a doctor. He took an ultrasound of my toe and said that the joint on my foot side is beginning to deform a bit due to repeated jamming? I guess I am skeptical with the diagnosis since it seemed to happen pretty instantaneously. He didn’t really give a proper name for this condition or anything. He pretty much told me the only way to calm it down was putting it in a boot for 3 weeks with some steroids or to fix the problem with surgery. Like I said the pain level is relatively low but I want to get this fixed. Has anyone on here experienced a similar problem? Right now I am thinking that I will:
-Stop running for a couple more weeks
-Ice multiple times a day
-Arnica Gel and oral
-Glucosamine (not sure if this will help)
-NSAIDs of some sort
Is there anything that I am missing that should help?
I have an Oly in early april which I feel that I am more than ready for. The main goal of the year is 70.3 steelhead in august.
I am a therapist and just from your description to you have a case of turf toe. It is basically tendonitis in the joint behind the big toe. Anti-inflammatories, cut back on run mileage, stay off hills running, bike and swim more to make up for less running, ice several times a day for 20 minutes. I have also seen some good results with the kenesio tape ( you can go to there web site to see how to tape) and some doctors are prescribing topical NSAIDs that are working really well and you don’t get all the systemic effects from an oral med.
Thanks for the responses. That KT tape stuff looks interesting I will have to try that to see if it helps… I forgot one detail is that the pain seems to be on the top right side of the left big toe. I haven’t jammed my toes very much at all. I alternate shoes between 11.5 Brooks Adrenaline GTS and a 13 Newton Mens Distance II (the fitter said the 13 fit better to the ball of my foot). The injury actually occurred in the brooks and I haven’t run any further than maybe 4 miles in the Newtons because I don’t want to develop any tendonitis issues. Second opinion sounds like a good idea. Also, I have nearly no pain while walking around day to day. I can just barely feel its there. I just want to nip this in the but before the volume picks up during the summer.
I had a problem with my left toe, though not the same problem as you - I was getting a blister on the inside base of the toe. I feel it might be worth mentioning though, since it is the same appendage. I diagnosed the problem as rolling my heel in on push-off. I mention this because perhaps you are doing something similar which is putting extra strain on the toe? When I concentrate on an even push-off I don’t have a problem, my other foot is fine. Hope it all comes right for ya.
You likely do have a “joint” issue and your description that was given is of “hallux limitus” (can Dr. Google away).
Turf toe is NOT a tendon issue, but an actual “sprain” of the great toe joint (i.e. capsule) and is generally known to occur by the patient with an acute incident.
rroof: The outlook for this looks pretty grim. Is it possible to make this go away with the normal rest/ice/NSAID and get pain free again or am I pretty much stuck?
Rest is the best medicine. Apart from that I’ve found that taping the toe to the one next door gives a bit more stability, which may help you too. Also, alternating my running shoes makes a difference, in that the irritation factor isn’t exactly the same every time I go out. Good luck!
rroof: The outlook for this looks pretty grim. Is it possible to make this go away with the normal rest/ice/NSAID and get pain free again or am I pretty much stuck?
Andrew
You were simply asking for help and this is the internet. Good to read up on what MIGHT be your issue, but start with a firm diagnosis first and make informed decisions from there based on your lifestyle/expectations of treatment.