Morton's neuroma

This neuroma is interfering with the quality of my w/o’s. Does anyone have any experience with a cortisone or alcohol injection to this area. If so, when were you able to walk/run again.

I assume you have read online about tx options. Let’s see, I’ve done perhaps, 850 corticosteroid nerve blocks (seriously) for a Morton’s neuroma. Works great! You can run the next day. Will it resolve the perineural fibrosis ultimately? About 50% resolve this way (up to 3 blocks).

DON’T go with the alcohol blocks as initial treatment as these were designed to destroy the nerve (and it takes several. Dockery’s initial paper about this was 3-7 injections). Plus they really hurt (I’ve seen some pretty stoic people squirm pretty badly with these).

As always, any ideas why you have the neuroma in the first place? Job? Metatarsal deformity? Are you sure of the diagnosis? I just had a patient in today that I was sure had a Morton’s neuroma (actually she is a Dentist), but futher testing revealed otherwise.

Good luck!

My brother and I each developed one. I went conservative and got orthotics with a pad in the ball of the foot and bought wider shoes. My bother went with the alcohol injections. We’re both fine again.

I bought a pair of cycling shoes that were way too narrow. I figured this out the hard way. I replaced the narrow shoes 4 months ago. The symptoms come and go. I get relief from wedging a peice of soft foam b/w the 3-4 toes and taping it there. I am now putting in a lot of miles on the bike and running and the situation is getting worse. I have not been diagnosed with Morton’s. But, I have all the classic symptoms. What might else be happening?

Mine got pretty bad to where I could not run at all. Tried custom orthotics, cortizone(sp) injections nothing really helped and I would get bad flare ups. Did 5 alcohol injections and now in pretty good shape. I still might have an occasional twinge but nothing bad. I am very happy I did the alcohol injections.

A Morton’s neuroma is most likely diagnosis, but there are still a myriad of possibilities (lesser MTP joint capsulitis, plantar plate injury, Frieberg’s infractions, intermetatarsal bursitis, etc.) Fortunately, 3 or 4 of these are also treated with a well placed corticosteroid injection. Obviously staying off the foot enough to allow it to heal is the way to go, but that is really not an option for most triathletes.

If you are getting relief from your simple foam trick, you would probably do well with a simple orthotic and metatarsal pad to help spread the met heads