On Tuesday, I was doing my normal 60-minute trail run and decided to try running “Pose” style landing on my forefoot instead of mid or heel. Just did it for about 5 minutes to see how it felt.
That night, my left foot hurt in the center metatarsal (middle toe bone) to put weight on it. I just chalked it up to a temporary thing. The next day, I rode my bike with no issues, and then on Thursday, my long run day, though I had a little pain, I decided to run anyway. About 45 minutes into the run, it was hurting more and more, and after 1 hour/20 minutes, it was too painful to run on. I walked the final mile back home and it hurts to walk on since then. I can bike and swim no problem, but running…no chance.
In doing some research online, it appears that I might have a stress fracture. Anyone have tips here? I have a half iron in 7 weeks!!! Damnit my luck has been bad this week!
I’m no Dr. but I know that changing the biomechanics of your run may contribute to your problem. Not that this is a bad thing, but you need to ease into it. I too use the Pose method but started by running on a treadmill in my socks. This way my feet, calves, and legs can better get accustomed to the new running style. I would run like this for say 15 min. then put my sneakers on and continue running. Unfortunately, if you have a stress fracture, all you can do is let it heal. If you keep running on it, it will just make it worse. Maybe give it a few days and try running again and see how it feels.
I may sound like a weirdo, but running in your socks will strengthen the muscles in your feet, but of course, this is not always practical.
Mebbe it’s just inflamed? I’ll pray to the triathon gods for you!
I know you don’t wanna hear this, but rest, ice, & NSAIDs, probably - unless you’re gonna go to the Doc.
Can you go deep water running? My uncle once did his entire marathon training program in the water, and he did fine on Race Day, (he had back problems).
Hope it turns out to be nothing.
And sorry about your computer, too! Hopefully Karma will deliver what those punks have coming to them!
(I am no doctor but if it was my foot) Experience with multiple injuries over the years tells me chances are that it is not a stress fracture. If it is under the bone in your foot it coulld be neroma. Get an xray if taking a few days off doesn’t help (I just go straight into the ER and pay the $100). Then from there get a MRI which is really the only way to catch a stressy (expensive if insurance doesn’t cover it). Utimately there is probably nothing that can be done except to stay off the foot for an extended amount of time. Ice your foot, stretch the toes and stay off it for a while.
Thanks for the support. I’ve read up that if it IS a stress fracture, cycling and swimming are okay, so I’m going to give it a week and stick to the bike and pool. On my run days, I’ll go mountain biking instead (I run nothing but dirt trails/hills in my training, so that should help approximate the run workout). I rode 62 miles on Saturday with no pain on the bike and I have stiff-soled cycling shoes, so let’s hope in a week it’s feeling better.
It might just be the small muscles between the metatarsals that are upset. I had my running laces too tight for a few days, and I was worried I might be experiencing a stress fracture, too. But after checking my handy trigger point guide, it’s just eh interosseous muscles. Try massaging between the bones with a thumb. If you can do this and not faint, it might just be the muscles.
I didn’t run for 1.5 weeks since I had just done a marathon, but keeping my shoes really loose I can run with no problem and the pain is just about totally gone.
Since this started with you trying to run more on your forefoot, think about how that would create more pressure over the top of your foot, bingo, same thing that happened to me.
Thanks for the tip. I usually wear my shoes fairly loose, but it was the forefoot stuff that must have done it. Bending and putting stress on those middle toes. I’m really focussing on resting the foot (from running/walking) this week. I’m praying that I’ll be golden within a week. I can massage the affected area. It feels like if you were to press down on a bruise. Some pain, but not excruciating. The most pain is when I put all my weight on the front of that foot.
I will start by saying the same “I am not a doctor, but…”. I have had the unfortunate experience of having several stress fractures. In my experience they feel like a bone bruise when weight is placed on them, but the pain goes away after about 15 min into the run. This is the initial indicator, but as it worsens the pain never goes away during the run and your walk will become a limp. There are different theories and one study that I know of was to use anti-acids i.e. Tums. It is thought that stress fractures are caused (assisted) by acid in the system thus weakening the bone structure/ or offer weak spots in the bone. The answer for a stress fracture is 6-8 wks of no running, no argument. Swim and bike are still good. Keep your running form up by using the aqua jogger. Have you switched shoes or are yours slightly too large? Good Luck
I’ve been running with the same shoe type for nearly a year. The pair I have now is ony about 2 months old and has less than 100 miles on them. I run the same trails I’ve been running for months. 6-8 weeks? Jeez, that’s no good. I have a half iron in 7 weeks!
Amazing amount of B.S. info hear I just read. Sounds a LOT like a 2nd metatarsal stress fx (the most common one - I see probably 5 per week).
Forget going to the ER - metatatarsal stress fractures won’t show on a plain X-ray for at least 10-14 days until the external bone callus is visible, and even then they are often missed at the ED. The hight co-pay is supposed to be a detractor to NOT do this. See a specialist - it is not only cheaper for you and your insurance, but the diagnosis will likely be quicker and your questions can be answered far better. I can almost diagnose these clinically since I’ve seen literally hundreds. A triphasic Technetium bone scan is most sensitive (althou not specific) if you need to know (with an upcoming half mary in 7 weeks)
My practice has gotten pretty busy lately with all the forefoot runners out there - and you even did it right (i.e. easing into it only 5 mins).
Good luck! Oh, one thing. If you ONLY hurt on the bottom/ball of the foot with no swelling vs. some slight swelling w/ tenderness to palpation on the TOP of the metatarsal, that is a good thing and is more likely just acute capsulitis. But see a specialist…
Unfortunately, it’s the latter. Very slight swelling on the TOP of the foot, and the pain is right along that center toe metatarsal when I put weight on the front of my foot. 5 weeks…damn!
I’m on my tenth day of starting running again after a stress fracture in my fourth metatarsal of my right foot.
If it is a stress fracture, you may not run for 6 weeks MINIMUM and after that you have to ease back into it with short runs (I’m doing 3mi), every other day. A half iron run would be out of the question. Swimming is fine, don’t push off from the wall with the hurt foot. Biking - not for a metatarsal fracture, as it puts pressure on it. So, you had better plan a swim focus.
Mine hurt like hell at first. Limping, couldn’t put any pressure on it, wore an air cast for three weeks. When I laid in bed it hurt to have heavy blankets on my foot. The pain was intense.
To diagnose it, it might show on X rays but a bone scan is the best way to go.
I hope you don’t have a sfx, but see a doctor asap.
Thanks Tigerchik. I can actually physically bend my toes forward and back with my hand and wiggle them with zero pain from that, and blankets and stuff don’t bother it. It’s only when I put my bodyweight on the toes that I feel the pain in that center toe. Just trying not to use it. Cycling doesn’t hurt it at all.
Thanks again RRoof. Went to a podiatrist yesterday and he confirmed a stress fracture, though I couldn’t see it on the xray. He claimed that center metatarsal was showing slightly fuzzy where the break was, but of course I didn’t see it. Anyway, I got one of those sandals with a stiff sole from him and he prescribed anti-inflammatories and icing 4 times/day.
I’ve started aqua-running and can bike and swim with zero pain, and walk with no pain. Any other tips? Do I really NEED the anti-inflammatories if it doesn’t hurt? Will that help with the healing?
Nah, you don’t need the anti-inflammatory. It won’t help in the healing at all. Most people have a little more pain than you seem to have (but we are all diff), so he’s just trying to help. Next X-ray you will be able to see a little better - it will look 'kinda like cotton candy with the fluffy cotton part the external bone callus and your metatarsal the stick.
No real studies to show that extra vit. D or calcium will aid in healing, but it is probably a good idea and won’t hurt. These almost always heal well no matter how little my patients listen to me
Only word of advice - you will slow this process down if you walk around too much or keep stressing this, and if I remember, you have a 1/2 mary in 7 weeks? That is going to be pushing it. The bone will heal no matter what, but you don’t want it to heal dorsiflexed (up) that often happens with these, then you get extra pressure beneath the next metatarsal, then plantar foot pain, then a neuroma, and so on. If you have any pain with palpation on the top of the fractured met the week before the 1/2, I’d cancel.
Thanks doc! I have a half iron in 6.5 weeks, so yes I’m hoping for the best of course. I appreciate the advice! The doc indicated icing is would help it heal faster. I’ll see what happens and try to keep it as immobile as I can.
Thanks Tri! I was a pro bodyboarder for 12 years and only got injured ONCE where I couldn’t surf, and even then, I was back in the water 3 days after spraining my ankle (probably stupid, but I was about 28 years old at the time). Being injured isn’t something I’m accustomed to, so I tend to try to figure out ways to do what I want to do in such a situation. I will not give up, that’s for sure. I will still do the race and just do the swim and bike only if I absolutely can’t run. I’d rather a DNF than a DNS!
