Persistant Ball of Foot Pain

yallayalla

Barefooters
Apr 14, 2011
31
6
8
I've been living BF or min for a year 1.5 years, slowly increasing mileage with my runs- built up to 3 miles, but I stopped because I started a new job and had to adjust o my new schedule. I got back into it a few months later, slowly building mileage until oops- went too far and I strained my calf. I got sick of being injured and sought out Graston massage- which was fantastic. Anyway, after the calf strain was healed I slowly built up mileage... having no problems at all. Then, all of a sudden, after work my right foot started to hurt. Right on the ball of the foot. I didn't step on anything unusual that would bruise it, nor did I come down on it especially hard. It was pretty bad for a few days. I was on a Wednesday, and the last run was a Sunday. It hurt to walk, running was out of the question. It took weeks and weeks- I tried my old thick soled sneakers, I tried padding- still hurt. With time, and ice, it finally started to feel better. It flared up again after a wedding where I was dancing alot, and ran up a trail (20 yards) while goofing around afterwards. More rest, etc. FINALLY pain free for a week. I went for a run, 1/4 mile- ouch. I could feel it creeping back. I stopped and went home.

I tried massaging my foot, and messing around with adjusting my toes, but what gives? I made an appointment with a podiatrist, but I have little faith I am going to hear anything but wear beter shoes and buy my orthotics.
 
UPDATE:

Podiatrist wasn't UNfriendly to being BF, although he wasn't friendly, either. He mentioned how the heel strike during running would cause stress. *facepalm*. Anyway, got x-rays, no stress fracture! He wasn't sure what is was, suggested resting for 2 weeks, then slowly ramping up my workouts. The interesting thing is, he compared my xrays to when I was in the office years ago, and my 2nd metatarsal is much much thicker. Hell yeah! Physiological changes from BF!!!
 
I wonder if the thickening of my metties, a good thing, has caused the neuromas/nerves to have less room to move around, not such a good thing.

Seems like enough time had passed before you got an x-ray, which would "help" to ensure a fracture would show up on one. but could it have been a stress reaction, since it wasn't a stress fracture?
 
Yallayalla,

i would suspect the "thickened" 2nd met is a healed stress fracture. bones do not thicken unless broken. over internet tough to say much more specific. do a lot of sigle lag balance on the affected foot to retrain strength and proprioception.

you will run again!

Mark
 
Yallayalla,
i'd have to see the xray. bones become more dense but they rarely look "thickened". the comment was curious and i do not want to interfer with any healthcare opinion but rather give some alternative thoughts if things are still bothering you.

Dr. Mark
 
I have heard that it can be very difficult to see some stress fractures. Your Podiatrist isn't a Radiologist so cut him a little slack. ;) Sometimes docs don't know you've had a stress fracture until they see it "healed" on a later X-ray. Besides, what would have been done differently had you known you had a stress fracture? Longer recovery time?
 

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