Does anyone have any experience with pain in the balls of the feet under the big toe? The pain occurs during toe off and lasts for a while after training?
I actually started feeling the exact same thing for the first time on Tuesday. Not sure what caused it but walking causes the most pain for me (not sprinting, though skipping hurts). I have done some basic research and I think its medial sesamoiditis but I haven’t had it looked at yet and I’m no expert so I’d love to hear from other more knowledgeable members as well.
Feet pain suck…that’s all I had to say about that…
I agree that is may be sesamoiditis, which may progress to a sesamoid stress fracture which are difficult to treat. It may also be flexor hallucis tenosynovitis also. What I do with these patients if make sure this area is off loaded. Any good podiatrist should be able to do that for you.
I broke the the floater (sesamoid bone) in my foot about 13 yrs ago playin hoops and could only stay off of it for a week on crutches. It took a couple of years before I felt no pain when running or being active. It gradually went away over that time though.
I wonder if plantar fascitis would have any role in this. I have that now. Its inflamation where the tendon that runs from the ball of the foot connects to the heel (i think that is accurate). Anyways, could that inflammation occur where the tendon connects to the heel. It hurts like
!@#*. I do know that.
Hope I don’t kill the thread.
I’ve had Big Toe problems ever since high school when I got “turf toe” on both of my big toe (1st Metatarsal-Phalangeal) joints.
Now at 35, I have arthritis in both big toes (especially the left) and am seriously worried about my future as a masters sprinter. I wear specially made orthotics (which help a little) and have had cortisone injections when the pain gets too severe. Daily self mobilizations and occasional Chiropractic adjustments help a little but don’t seem to restore the lost range or elimate the pain and stiffneess.
What’s really lame, is the compensations that occur up the kinetic chain when the first toe (hallux) doesn’t move enough into dorsiflexion. The actualy diagnosis is called Hallicus Limitus and over time progresses to Hallicus Rigidus. Eventually, surgery may be an option for some.
Does anyone have any miracle cures for this problem? I’ve investigated this condition pretty extensively and the long term prognosis seems pretty poor. It also seems that genetic foot variances may be a factor as well.
I wish I had the magic cure, because then I could be a millionaire! Arthritis in a joint, especially in one which is utilized constantly, can not be cured conservatively. In patients that I see, I used an orthotic adjustment (perhaps look into modifying your orthotics with a KINETIC WEDGE) and various forms of physical therapy to loosen and mobilize the joint. But in reality, these are pallative methods and don’t address the true problem. If the pain is affecting your daily activities, surgery would be an options; which surgery would depend on the condition of your joint! Hope that helps!
I fractured my sesamoid as well–into 3 pieces in fact. I wore a walking boot for 8 weeks and then spent another 2-4 weeks doing marches, medball throws, and lower body weights. In combination with a bone stimulator, I made a full recovery and ran PRs just a couple months removed from taking the boot off. It still got some irritation in the next year after the boot coming off and I occasionally get it now, but overall, it recovered surprisingly well.
do u have dorsal bone spurs(tiny bumps on top of your 1st metatarsals)? how much natural dorsiflexion do u have left in each big toe(by natural i mean when ur sitting on a chair and u dorsiflex big toe into air while foot remains grounded)?
myself i have dorsal bone spurs on both 1st metatarsals but i don’t have any pain or niggles on the great big toe joints during walking jogging skipping or sprinting, yet? however the ball of left foot cracks(loudly) every now and then when walking and left foot is grounded and in mid propulsion phase, mostly when barefoot or socks on hard floor, but now occasionally when on softer surfaces as well or in runners.
also, when dorsiflexing while laying or sitting these cracking(loud sounds occur) when i dorsiflex left big toe and now right as well. I’m guessing the cracking is a result of the phalanges coming out of alignment with the 1st metatarsals.
Bones in the foot can be heavily influenced by soft tissue structures in the foot, but more importantly up into the calf muscle. So, for any foot or toe injury, I spend a lot of time working on the arch of the foot and up into the calf with massage and myofascial stretching. Over 90 percent of the time I seem to get positive results - particularly for irritated tendons in the foot and nerve entrapment.
Another consideration is the influence of the external rotators of the hip. If the hip muscles are tight and externally rotate your hip, the angle of push-off by the foot will change and put unfamiliar shear stresses on the foot. So, I also recommend stretching and manually therapy on glutes and piriformis.
anyone know a good way to treat quadriceps tendonitis? The tendon that connects my femur to kneecap has been killing me.
I agree. In addition, in this cases an MRI is required. If there are bone spurs, other kinds of intervention are required.
Great ideas! For my patients (many who are not elite athletes or do not have access to a good massage or physical therapist), I recommend using a golf-ball on the bottom of the foot to provide a myofascial type of release.