Fellowship of the Morton's Toe

[paraganek]

Hi, Paraganek, what planning have you followed for the transition? I'd start from the scratch. Thx !!!!

Keyser,

For a start, I probably never was a legitimate member of this club.
I realized that when I had my foot xrays done back in January 2011.
There is no sign of shortened first metty (maybe a little on my left foot).

X-Rays - January 2011


Photo - February 2011



As for planning of my transition - there wasn't much really
I read everything I could, then I just threw shoes away and started barefoot.
I only set up one rule - barefoot only, no minimalist shoes, regardless of conditions.
And listen to you body. Increase the distance very slowly.
Did not always work.
I got a stress fracture after 6 months and another one in 10 months.
Both on my fibulas, just above the ankles. I was rushing it. Had to slow down.
Or maybe that was a necessary part of my transition, to strengthen my fibulas this way.
Don't know.
So I am probably not the best person to follow.
Interestingly I never got TOFP, PF nor any other foot issues. Everyone is different.
This July it is going to be three years of running barefoot for me and it just keeps getting better !
I could never go back to shoes.

Good luck to you with the transition and Happy running !

 

[otoole4info]

Interestingly I never got TOFP, PF nor any other foot issues.

Lucky...... my TOFP (take away the P at times, its not always pain- insert I for irritation or A for aggravation) has been driving me insane at time.

 

[Barefoot TJ]

Hello from Spain, do you think I´m a member of this fellowship?
http://media.tumblr.com/7242fed86a8ce7f4c38ebceadc86ef16/tumblr_inline_mggmeoBy1Y1r1c6ll.jpg

Welcome aboard! Definitely. You are one of us. Looking at your x-ray, you can see that your second metatarsal head is longer than your first. That makes you one of us.

 

[Barefoot TJ]

Wow, Paraganek! You are so close to the line there. I would call you border line, but technically, you do fit the description of MT.

 

[spiritdc]

Morton's toe here too on both feet. I'm a complete newbie to running and learning my boundaries when it comes to my feet. I suppose it's good my 2nd metatarsals keep me from doing too much too soon!

 

[Barefoot TJ]

Welcome!

 

[calnebarefoot]

 

[Barefoot TJ]

Are you trying to turn all the foot fetishes on out there?!

Wow! Without looking at where your metties line up, that's one long second toe! But I think I've got you beat there. Mine is longer. Ha, er uh, not so funny, I know.

 

[calnebarefoot]

Cheers!!!

Going to try a big toe pad.

 

[Mayka]

Well, I've probably got this. For some reason, it's worse on my left foot, even though both my second toes look about equally long (but are still longer than my big toe). I only have a little callous under my second metatarsal on my right foot, but a more substantial callous on my left foot.

Oddly enough, it never bothers me when walking on completely smooth pavement, only when walking on the sidewalks in my neighborhood that are stony pavement (is that the word?). I think this type of pavement is fairly common in sidewalks; it's relatively flat but a little textured due to having little stones mixed into it. Here's a picture of me stepping on some of it:



I just find it weird that perfectly smooth pavement doesn't bother my callous under my second metatarsal but this stuff does. Does anyone else have this problem?

 

[paraganek]

Oddly enough, it never bothers me when walking on completely smooth pavement, only when walking on the sidewalks in my neighborhood that are stony pavement.
I just find it weird that perfectly smooth pavement doesn't bother my callous under my second metatarsal but this stuff does. Does anyone else have this problem?

If smooth pavement is fine but little gravel bumps bother you then you may just have elevated first metatarsal
http://www.mortonsfoot.com/rothbartsfoot.html

 

[Barefoot TJ]

Elevated or fallen metatarsals. You would have to have an x-ray to be sure. The reason you have pain when walking on uneven surfaces, even as small as rough, rocky asphalt, is because those rocks under foot are causing your toes to move around; whereas the flat, smooth surface doesn't force any extra movement of your toes.

 

[Mayka]

If smooth pavement is fine but little gravel bumps bother you then you may just have elevated first metatarsal
http://www.mortonsfoot.com/rothbartsfoot.html

Elevated or fallen metatarsals. You would have to have an x-ray to be sure. The reason you have pain when walking on uneven surfaces, even as small as rough, rocky asphalt, is because those rocks under foot are causing your toes to move around; whereas the flat, smooth surface doesn't force any extra movement of your toes.

You know, the problem with googling any foot problem online is that the only solution ever given is to wear custom orthotics. Somehow this is the solution to EVERY FOOT PROBLEM KNOWN TO MAN. It's impossible to get any advice on actually treating the root of the problem.

Hopefully my problem is caused by years of shoe wearing and can be rehabilitated by gradually working up to walking barefoot, rather than being something that will continue to cause me pain whenever I go barefoot on uneven surfaces. Not counting a short stint last fall, I'm still new to barefooting, so I've been trying to ease into it by walking around the block about 10 minutes every day, but I haven't been at it long enough to tell if it's getting any easier.

Man, my life would have been so much simpler if I had never ever worn improper footwear in the first place. Stupid socially mandated medieval torture devices! Too bad minimalist shoes aren't the mainstream; at least they have nice wide toeboxes and thin soles.

 

[Barefoot TJ]

That's why it's best to see a doctor. Google can overwhelm you with responses.

 

[badtoes]

Does having the 1st metatarsals surgically shortened count for the fellowship or does one have to be born with it to apply? I might be able get some recents xrays and/or pictures for proof that it can happen but would like to know if this is proper.

 

[Barefoot TJ]

You had your 1st metties shortened? Yikes! I would rather have 1st mets longer than 2nd mets. But if that puts you in the category, then yes, welcome to the club!

 

[Keyser]

How long have you been running BF? We have determined that many of the symptoms of MT dispel about 18 months to 2 years into the transition. I can teach you to make a BF orthotic, but it really it counterproductive and could extend the period.

Hi, Nyal, I've MT and I'm in the transition to BF. I can run 5 miles completely BF without pain, but I can´t go further, because of the pain in second, third and fourth metas. In your experience, do you think I'll raise the pain threshold progressively, yard by yard, mile by mile, day after day, month after month??

thx a lot !!!

 

[Barefoot TJ]

Unfortunately, Nyal doesn't post here anymore. Bummer. You can PM him though, and I believe he will respond.

Are you sure you aren't dealing with something more than MT, since you mention that it affects three of your toes instead of just the second metty?

 

[Keyser]

Hello, TJ, the pain is mainly in the second metty, but I've some pain in the intermetatarsal space between the 2th and the 3th, and some pain in the 4th.
I will PM Nyal, thx !!!

 

[Barefoot TJ]

The other pain you are having outside the second metty makes me think of Morton's Neuroma. I hope that's not what it is. It could be metatarsalgia too. Feel free to pose any questions you may have to our docs in the Ask the Docs forum.