Fifth Metatarsal Pain - Any chance of running HM in 3 weeks?

[BarefootBlues]

Background: I haven't worn shoes other than Skinners for a full year. I nearly always run fully barefoot, about 40-50km a week. I also walk (barefoot/skinners) and dance (in socks) a lot.
First noticed slight soreness in my fifth metatarsal area when running about a week and a half ago. The only thing I'd been doing differently was running more hills than usual. Like an idiot, I kept running on it for a couple of days, then had to spend three days resting because it hurt to walk. Tried running on it again when walking felt ok, which was only mildly achey, but the next morning I woke up with pain on walking again. At no point has pressing on the foot caused any pain at all. There was very slight swelling but no bruising.

After complete rest for three days, there is now a very mild pain when walking normally (if I consciously keep my weight on the inside of my foot it feels fine). I'm signed up for a HM in three weeks. Is there any chance at all I might be able to run it? What should be my approach for exercising between now and then? Is it fine to increase weightbearing activity as long as I stop at the first feeling of pain?

 

[Barefoot TJ]

I'm no doc, but at this rate...no improvement...I don't think you should keep training for the half. Let it go, heal completely, then find another half in the future.

Do you think you may have stepped on something during that initial run that may have caused deep trauma or broken it. Have you had an x-Ray or seen a doctor yet?

 

[BarefootBlues]

I stepped on about a million tiny pieces of grit left over from the last time it snowed - it was not a comfortable run - but nothing big. The only thing I can think of is that running up steeper slopes than I usually tackle put force through my foot differently.

No X-ray. Doctor's appointment in a week and a half. I can just about walk comfortably today but am staying in anyway to give it another day of rest.

I'm holding off on making a decision on the race. I might ask whether it's possible to defer my entry until next year. It's going to suck watching everyone else run though; I live on the race route.

 

[Barefoot TJ]

I stepped on about a million tiny pieces of grit left over from the last time it snowed - it was not a comfortable run - but nothing big. The only thing I can think of is that running up steeper slopes than I usually tackle put force through my foot differently.

No X-ray. Doctor's appointment in a week and a half. I can just about walk comfortably today but am staying in anyway to give it another day of rest.

I'm holding off on making a decision on the race. I might ask whether it's possible to defer my entry until next year. It's going to suck watching everyone else run though; I live on the race route.

That does suck. You've already paid? Sometimes they will let you defer it, especially if you have an injury or some other serious problem going on. Good luck. Keep resting, and let us know what the doctor finds.

 

[BarefootBlues]

So I rested completely (not leaving the house) Thurs-Sun. On Monday I slowly and carefully walked about 30 minutes in Skinners, which became increasingly painful. Tuesday morning I could feel things crunching and moving around when I moved my little toe, so I iced and took ibuprofen (I'd been avoiding ibuprofen because apparently it interferes with stress fracture healing). By evening it was feeling pretty good, and this morning I walked barefoot at normal speed for about 20 minutes with no pain other than when I stepped awkwardly on a curb. There is still pain in the fifth metatarsal head (where the little toe connects) if I roll my weight outwards as though overbalancing. I haven't tried running.

I'm leaning toward this being some kind of tendon issue, rather than a fracture, given the improvement with ice and ibuprofen? I'll stay away from running for the rest of the week even if it feels better and stick to just walking to test it out. Haven't made a decision on the race yet.

 

[Barefoot TJ]

Keep your doctor's appointment though. Let us know what he says. Rest it as much as possible. Good luck!