recurrent, lingering TOFP

winehill

winehill

Barefooters
Jan 9, 2012
2
0
1
Arlington, VA
#1
I'm concerned about a recurrence of TOFP.

This comes after what I'd considered were the normal aches and pains of adjusting to minshod running (i.e. initial calf pain and mild TOFP). I've experienced both and reached a point where I could run in my Merrell/Vibrams and feel neither.

All was fine when I started my run. No pain anywhere. Onset was pretty sudden- @3 miles into a run a week ago. Stopped running and walked home. Haven't run since occurrence. Pain in left foot- metatarsal region below 3rd & 4th toes. Swelling too.

Concerns:
  1. exacerbation by normal, day-to-day work shoes: pain seems worse in traditional shoes
  2. possible stress fracture?
  3. pronation : could overpronation be a factor? Underpronation?
Advice? Thoughts?
Thanks,
John
 
#2
Hi John,

How long have you been at minshod running now?

Stress fracture could be a valid concern. Would need a CT scan to diagnose, and you are looking at 6-8 weeks of healing with that. Extensor tendonitits is also a possibility.

You are two weeks out from this injury. An update on symptoms might help pinpoint some more.
 
#3
Hi, Dr. Klein,

Thanks for the reply. A bone scan done yesterday confirmed a stress fracture in the metatarsals. That's all I know right now. Appointment with an orthopedic is Thursday.

I've been running in Vibram/Merrell Trail Gloves off and on for over a year. As mentioned, I've had all the "newcomer" complaints and had since had some great long distance runs. In fact, I'd had a really great run just days before this.

In reading/researching this, I've concluded that messing up my metatarsals was not because of the shoes, but because of how I was running in them. I think I was so focused on avoiding pronation that I put excess strain on the rest of my feet. I've since read some articles on the Natural Running Center website that seem to corroborate this. Is this correct? Have I been overthinking my stride?

Thanks again,

John
 
#4
Could be, John.

Pronation is a normal part of the stride. If you were trying hard to not pronate, you could have put abnormal stress on the 3rd and 4th metatarsals and caused the stress fracture. That is hard to say definitively. What I can say definitively is that wearing footwear will change the sensation of your landing and let you get away with things until you cause injury.

For example, I am in Minnesota and until recently i have been wearing VFFs/Trail Gloves/Invisible Shoes due to the temps. I'm back to nearly all BF now and the blister and abrasions on my left toes tell me my form went to heck and I need to work on it again.
 
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