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Foot injuries keeping me from running
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 2007-08-09 8:18 PM |
Veteran  363   Ft. Myers, Florida |  Subject: Foot injuries keeping me from runningHi all! I'm a semi-newbie here, as I joined the boards and then dropped off for a while. Well, I'm glad to be back again, but now, I'm dealing with a set of foot injuries (tendonitis & a Mortons Neuroma). I'm going to a specialist next week to get an estimate on how long it will be before I can run again, but in the mean time I'm focusing on just swimming, biking and weight lifting. So, I'm wondering how it will affect my overall training. Is it good to keep up your level in two of the three sports and not do the third at all for an extended period of time? Should I perhaps just back off (do different stuff to stay active and working out) and just start my training over again when I can do all three together. It would be a good 2-3 months before I could start running again. Would this be too long to keep excellerating my biking and swimming workouts without doing any running to balance it out? Or does it really matter? |
| 2007-08-09 8:24 PM in reply to: #920472 |
| Extreme Veteran 412 | Subject: RE: Foot injuries keeping me from running Your thread caught my eye because I too have suffered from Morton's neuroma. I had surgery in Fall '05 adn now it's bothering me again. I'm pretty annoyed with that. To answer your question, I woudl definately focus on your swimming and biking fitness and add your running when you can. Good luck! Let me know if I can help at all wiht your foot problems and/or let me knwo if you learn any secrets.....ie. what shoes to wear!
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| 2007-08-10 4:28 AM in reply to: #920472 |
Master 2491 | Subject: RE: Foot injuries keeping me from running I was out for a year and a half with metatarsal capsulitis in my Morton's toe. I heard too many stories about people with multiple foot surgeries to want to go that route. Physical therapy and a certified pedorthist (guy who makes orthotics) got me going again. When I couldn't run or bike (or walk), swimming and yoga got me through. The injury can be an opportunity to focus on a weak leg and build core strength. Since many bikers or swimmers are not runners, it's hard to see how training those disciplines could hurt in any way. Take care of yourself, follow the advice of a trusted medical professional, and don't try to come back too quickly. |
| 2007-08-10 7:57 AM in reply to: #920472 |
Veteran 363 Ft. Myers, Florida | Subject: RE: Foot injuries keeping me from running Thanks for the response guys! I can't wait to find out what this doctor is going to say about my feet on Monday. I got his name from a trainer at the gym I workout at, so I would have to hope that he would be pretty sympathetic to me wanting to get back to running again. I've heard of too many doctors claim the only cure for injuries is to never do the sport you love again. I believe these are the same doctors that would rather prescribe medicines to treat an ailment rather than tell you how to prevent the ailment in the first place. Wow, that's a scary thought to think you had surgery once for the neuroma and it came back!! Did they do the surgery from the top part of your foot or the bottom? I've heard that once they remove the offending nerve, that it can grow back, but two years seems awful quick to have had that happen! I know that I'll do whatever I have to get back to running again. I love it and it's killing me to think that everyday that passes that I can't run, it's going to take twice that time to get back to where I left off. |
| 2007-08-10 8:59 AM in reply to: #920472 |
| 8 | Subject: RE: Foot injuries keeping me from running I suffered with chronic Tarsal Tunnel Syndrome (nerve entrapment in the ankle/foot) for over three years. I went from doctor to doctor for three years with NO diagnosis (besides Plantar Fasiitis). It took a very good physical therapist to think outside the box and diagnose me with TTS. So, for those three years I was VERY limited and even just walking was painful. When I slept, I had burning sensations throughout my hamstring, lowerleg, and foot. It was horrible and scary. I love training, so I decided to train for ultra distance open water races during those three years. That helped me 110% - its important for athletes to feel like athletes! After the diagnosis the PT gave me a handful of exercises and I began seeing an ART certified chiropractor who specializes in nerve entrapment release. Within one month of seeing him, I was 95% pain free, and I am now - eight months into treatments - training for a 1/2 Ironman pain free. I ran 10 miles yesterday pain free - something I never thought I'd be able to do. I currently get ART treatments 1x/month for tune ups. You are smart to be wary of surgery. Also, over those three years, had been given two different pairs of orthotics - neither of which worked. They were $350 a pop. Anyhow, give ART therapy a try. As someone who suffered from nerve entrapment I can only sing its praises! |
| 2007-08-10 9:09 AM in reply to: #920472 |
Science Nerd 28760   Redwood City, California | Subject: RE: Foot injuries keeping me from running I've been out of running for about a month now due to a stress fracture in my tibia. My Sports Medicine doc (who is also a triathlete) recommended biking and swimming while I am injured. It's helped me not go too crazy from not being able to run and gives me a chance to focus on swimming and biking. I would do as much as you can without hurting yourself. Also, try looking into water running. It shouldn't hurt your foot and I've heard it can be very helpful in maintaining your running fitness. |
| 2007-08-10 9:25 AM in reply to: #920472 |
Master 1610 Kirkland, WA | Subject: RE: Foot injuries keeping me from running i think i could be in the same boat as you Artemis - i am going to a foot and ankle doctor next in a couple weeks to get scoped for orthotics (i have really high arches) and my shins are all messed up. i've had shin splints since i started tri training (earlier this summer) and they just got pretty bad recently. i've tried different shoes, didn't increase milage, ran only a couple times a week, stretched constantly etc. etc. i hope it not fractured though  |
| 2007-08-10 9:27 AM in reply to: #920853 |
Veteran 363 Ft. Myers, Florida | Subject: RE: Foot injuries keeping me from running josephine - 2007-08-10 8:59 AM I suffered with chronic Tarsal Tunnel Syndrome (nerve entrapment in the ankle/foot) for over three years. I went from doctor to doctor for three years with NO diagnosis (besides Plantar Fasiitis). It took a very good physical therapist to think outside the box and diagnose me with TTS. So, for those three years I was VERY limited and even just walking was painful. When I slept, I had burning sensations throughout my hamstring, lowerleg, and foot. It was horrible and scary. I love training, so I decided to train for ultra distance open water races during those three years. That helped me 110% - its important for athletes to feel like athletes! After the diagnosis the PT gave me a handful of exercises and I began seeing an ART certified chiropractor who specializes in nerve entrapment release. Within one month of seeing him, I was 95% pain free, and I am now - eight months into treatments - training for a 1/2 Ironman pain free. I ran 10 miles yesterday pain free - something I never thought I'd be able to do. I currently get ART treatments 1x/month for tune ups. You are smart to be wary of surgery. Also, over those three years, had been given two different pairs of orthotics - neither of which worked. They were $350 a pop. Anyhow, give ART therapy a try. As someone who suffered from nerve entrapment I can only sing its praises! Is Tarsal Tunnel Syndrom similar to a Mortons Neuroma? I've been reading a lot about MN and from my understanding it is an enflamed nerve that swells up and presses on the bone causing painful numbness. Is this similar to an entrapted nerve? It feels like I may have an entraped nerve in my foot because I can't even work out on my elliptical trainer without my foot going painfully numb. Any kind of pressure at all on the ball of my foot becomes painful after 10-15min. |
| 2007-08-10 10:26 AM in reply to: #920472 |
| 8 | Subject: RE: Foot injuries keeping me from running Yes - very similar. People with TTS may have different symptoms, depending on the severity of and the locations of the adhesions. The pinching of the nerve can be caused by multiple things. The "meat" of my pain with TTS was located on the medial aspect of the foot, between the ankle and the arch of the foot. I had MRIs, but none revealed any clues as to why I was in pain and they both came out normal. I began to feel I was going crazy. Standing was, more often, more painful than running. Standing in line at the deli for 5 minutes, for example, could be excruciating! I don't know if MN is the same. I did experience both sharp pain (like a knife going through my foot) and burning achyness throughout my left side. Like I said, it would keep me up many nights of the week. Just to add: the eliptical trainer was HORRIBLE with TTS. The constant pressure and pushing on my foot caused severe pain which would last for days after a quick, low intensity workout on those things. Do you have access to an ART certified chiropractor? Edited by josephine 2007-08-10 10:29 AM |
| 2007-08-12 6:39 PM in reply to: #920472 |
Master 2491 | Subject: RE: Foot injuries keeping me from running The surgeon wanted to cut. The physical therapist wanted to do therapy. The orhtotics guy wanted to make orthotics. Maybe the hardest part wast to sort through all of their advice, decide who I trust and what makes the most sense and chart out my own course for healing. I went through two therapists who were unable to help before finding a good one. The same must be true for other specialists. There are great people out there who will help you do the things you want to do. It's just a matter of finding them and deciding what is best for your unique situation. Good luck. |
| 2007-08-12 9:08 PM in reply to: #920894 |
Veteran 118 Roseville, California | Subject: RE: Foot injuries keeping me from running Cafenervosa -- Morton's neuroma is quite different from tarsal tunnel sydrome. A Morton's neuroma is an inflamed, enlarged nerve situated between the bones at the end of your feet, near the toes (at the end of the metatarsals). The nerve gets irritated from getting compressed between two of the bones (usually 2nd and 3rd metatarsals). This most often occurs from wide feet in normal witdh shoes cramming everthing together in the toe box. I have a neuroma in one of my feet, and have treated it by getting the right shoes -- for both working out and everyday use. Luckily, my problem has always just been numbness, no sharp pain. If you're dealing with pain, aside from getting proper fitting shoes, you may want to ask your doc about a trial of NSAIDs to reduce inflammation, see a physical therapist, and consider getting cortisone shots. Surgery should really be saved for cases that blatently fail conservative treatment. Really a last resort. Often the postoperative outcome is worse than the initial complaint. Good luck! BTW, I'm currently missing a year of racing from an ailment of my own: posterior tibialis tendonitis. Yippeee!
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| 2007-08-13 8:36 AM in reply to: #920472 |
Veteran 363 Ft. Myers, Florida | Subject: RE: Foot injuries keeping me from running Thanks for the info Vapor. I'll be going to a podiatrist today who specializes in sports injuries. I'm hoping I can go the cortizone route for a while and see how that works. I really don't want any surgery unless it's a last recourse. The thing I can't figure out is how I could have developed Mortons Neuroma. I'm lucky enough to have a job that allows me to wear tennis shoes all the time, so I've really never worn heals or any sort of close fitting uncomfortable shoes. Well, hopefully I can get so useful information and some help today. |
| 2007-08-13 10:56 AM in reply to: #923324 |
| 8 | Subject: RE: Foot injuries keeping me from running Maybe I was misunderstood? Both TTS and Morton's Neuroma are caused by nerve impingement. This can be caused by bone, muscle, scar tissue, thickening of its own nerve tissues... many times a blend of all these things. The painful sensations between TTS and Morton's Neuroma are also similar: burning, acute pain, and numbness, especially with standing and/or pressure. Many times this pain radiates around the nerve. Treatment is similar. The main goal being to "release" the nerve, and bring down inflamation. Cortisone shots, chiropractor adjustments, physical therapy are all worth a shot. Last case scenario is surgery to release the nerve. Edited by josephine 2007-08-13 10:58 AM |
| 2007-08-13 1:04 PM in reply to: #920472 |
Veteran 363 Ft. Myers, Florida | Subject: RE: Foot injuries keeping me from running Interesting doctor visit today: I definitely have a Morton's Neuroma in my right foot, for which he told me cortizone injections 3 times a year should be all I would need to deal with it. He definitely didn't want to do any surgery and would only do it if it was very severe and causing other severe problems. However, he said they have a new treatment for it now: injecting the nerve with alcohol in order to shrink it back down to size. (I asked if I just drink alcohol instead, if that would help :P) It's not anywhere near as invasive as surgery of course, but it is still a bit more complicated than just cortizone injections. He wanted me to try a year with the cortizone and if it's still really bothering me, then he'd do the alcohol injections. And...turns out the injury to my left foot was mis-diagnosed. I do/did indeed have a stress fracture. It's trying to heal, but it's definitely still broken at this point even though I don't have any immediate pain in that region anymore. I do however have ligament pain that sort of "moves around" to different areas of the foot. So, I'm getting an MRI tomorrow and going back next week to re-evaluate the problems and start the healing process. I am so happy too, because this doctor is a weight-lifter and an athlete himself and he is 100% sympathetic to my wanting to get back to running and training again. What a friggin relief to finally get this problem tended to properly!! Now, I just have to figure out how to be patient enough to let the fracture heal. This means no swimming for to too because my foot is bandaged and I can't take it off...not even to shower!! So, I'm reduced to just biking and lifting for a while... |
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