What is wrong with my foot?

Not a podiatrist but I've been to one an awful lot. Could it be metarsalgia? I had that for a while. It was pain in the ball of my foot.

Let's see, what did we do.....

I wish I would have thought to ice it right away. I think that might of helped a lot. The podiatrist put some extra padding on the insoles of my cycling and running shoes to keep the pressure off of that spot. I think you can buy something from the drugstore that might help. I'm sure he probably prescribed an oral steroid. OH! Finally I read somewhere to loosen up the straps on my bike shoes and that really helped a lot. I ended up getting a new pair of prescription orthotics with the extra metarsal cushion already in them.

My pain was pretty far a long (hurt just walking around during the day) and I don't typical seem to shake off inflammation very easily so don't let me scare you. I took time off from running but not cycling because it took me a while to realize that the problem was probably from my cycling shoes. The pain started not long after I got clipless pedals.

Like I said though, I'm not a doctor. I know I always like to talk about my aches and pains with someone though .

Another OH! I almost forgot, ART. That is what finally eliminated the pain all together.

Is it worse in the AM?  Could be Tarsal Tunnel...have/still have.  I use a roller on my foot (local running store) and massage often.  I did rest and tape, etc..but it would get better than come back again.  To me..it's managible.

mortons or whatever, it is an inflamation. the above post says that the mortons hates a tight toe box, this is the key.

I have turned mine from a monster to a minor pest.

1)go buy some gummy toe shims at cvs or wall greens. at night shim  bitween  2nd and 3rd toe(from big toe) with one shim no more. wank around like this in flip flops.

2) realize and accept that it is not just your bike, run , work or diet it is all of them adding to the inflamation.

3) go up a size in your running shoes or use supper thin socks.

4) alternate to another brand of cycle shoes. example: specialized to shimanno. my shimmanos  have a larger toe box and are a half size bigger.

5) dump cotton socks they bunch up and are thick. cotton kills. go to Ip.

6) buy a reusable ice pack and use it after every run or bike for 10 minutes.

7)do not use drugs to mask it.

it took about 30 days to turn it around.

good luck.

I had mortons on both feet.  The BEST thing I did for it was change the rest of my shoes, not my running shoes.  We tend to think all of our foot problems have to do with our running shoes. Not necessarily.  I have to wear "dress shoes" for work.  I started to realize that all of them were much narrower in the toes then my running shoes.  I changed them all, mortons were gone within a month.  Just something to think about.

P.S. - mine presented themselves just like the OP, mostly in the morning.

I will try these.  Thanks!

Hi Doc, (I kinda wondered when you used "palpation").  Lots of good advice already written here but I wanted to suggest you have someone squeeze your forefoot at the transverse arch (medial to lateral).  If it hurts I'd think more like a neuroma and if not the above advice should help. It's certainly not scientific but a neuroma shouldn't like it.

Mxr mentions orthotics take up a lot of space which is true so you might need new shoes if you will wear them in your bike shoes.  If you'll just wear them for your normal walking/running try not to get a rigid pair but preferably a pair that will flex somewhat with walking.  I've personally had good results from Footlevellers, superfeet and Footmaxx - not necessarily a recommendation just something you can check into.

It is also possible that along with loosening off your bike shoes you could try metatarsal arches located under the location of your pain.  They're usually low cost pads with sticky tape to hold them in place.  I used to find them at shoe repair places but I believe anywhere that sells orthotics should have them.

One last thing - you could try a series of electrotherapy treatments on your foot using 2 electrodes - one above and one below your pain area. 

Good Luck