active network espn
Active Home | Directory | Community | eteamz | Results | Support Support | Event Directors & Organizers
Community: Exchange advice in the forums and read running commentary Resources: Personal running log, calculators, links and other tools for runners News: Running news from around the world Training: Articles and advice about fitness, race training and injury prevention Races/Results: Find upcoming races and past results Home: The Cool Running homepage
Cool Running homepage  Search Cool Running Community
Login to Reply
Click to view nicepace's profile Amateur
nicepace
8 posts since
Jan 7, 2002

Sep 21, 2007 8:11 PM

Pain in toe - metatarsalgia?

Recently whenever I get about three miles into a run I start to get a diffuse pain in the fourth toe of my left foot (the one next to the little toe). At first I thought I was wearing shoes that were too tight so I went to the running store, tried some on, and sized up a half size. The new shoes feel great but they haven't solved the toe problem. After some research it looks like this might be metatarsalgia. Does anyone have any experience with this, and could recommend shoe inserts or any other remedy, or does anyone have a different idea of what this might be? I'm a very experienced runner (20+ years) and very rarely get injured; I average about 20 mpw. Thanks in advance.

------------------
one mile at a time
Click to view nicepace's profile Amateur
nicepace
8 posts since
Jan 7, 2002
1. Sep 24, 2007 9:34 AM in response to: nicepace
Hmmm .... no responses? Must mean this is a relatively unusual problem. If anyone has any ideas, please share. If not I'll be trying some over the counter shoe inserts and then, if they don't work, it'll be off to a podiatrist.

------------------
one mile at a time
Login to Reply
Click to view limegreenrunnerguy's profile Rookie
limegreenrunnerguy
5 posts since
Aug 24, 2007
2. Sep 24, 2007 9:48 AM in response to: nicepace
I have suffered from metatarsalgia for a couple of years but the problem I encounter is not in the toes - it is in the joint where the toes meet the foot. It usually feels like I have a pebble in my shoe - not very painful just uncomfortable and it usually gets worse as I ramp up my miles to 25+ per week.

I went to a podiatrist who gave me custom orthotics. This only made the condition manageable - never eliminated it. This past summer while working with a physical therapist for an achilles injury she gave me a gel insert with extra padding at the joint in question. I have replaced my custom orthotics with these inserts and the problem is slowly disappearing.

Having said that - if the pain you are experiencing is in the toe itself then I do not believe we are dealing with the same condition. As my doctor (family doc not the podiatrist) told me - metatarsalgia is just a technical term for pain in the foot, it is not really a diagnosis of the problem.

Not sure if this helps any but I thought I would provide some perspective. I would try over the counter inserts first and see if they help.
Login to Reply
Click to view foxyw's profile Expert
foxyw
57 posts since
Aug 23, 2007
3. Oct 13, 2007 2:44 PM in response to: nicepace
This sounds like one of the symptoms of a neuroma. Neuroma pain is usually in the forefoot but can radiate out to the toes. I hope that you're able to find a solution to your problem. Custom orthotics may help especially if the problem is not far advanced.

------------------
Login to Reply
Click to view foxyw's profile Expert
foxyw
57 posts since
Aug 23, 2007
4. Oct 13, 2007 10:15 PM in response to: nicepace
This sounds like one of the symptoms of a neuroma. Neuroma pain is usually in the forefoot but can radiate out to the toes. I hope that you're able to find a solution to your problem. Custom orthotics may help especially if the problem is not far advanced.

------------------
Login to Reply