Foot pain - ball of foot

[newbieM]

In hopes to get in better shape I started walking/light running on the treadmill.

I’ve been pretty inactive the past year and put on 10lbs. I’m relatively short - 5’4 and 138 lbs.

I started walking a mile with some running on the treadmill. After the first few days the ball of my foot hurt like I bruised it. On both feet. I used running shoes and I do have bunions.

at first I thought maybe I bruised the ball (not the heel) the pad behind my toes. But it’s been a week and it hasn’t gotten better. It hurts to even walk and step on it. It feels like I’m walking on bruised feet.

any ideas what it could be? I’m going to see a foot and ankle specialist but I don’t even know if that is the right kind of doctor.

I hope it doesn’t impact my skiing my first trip is in a month :(

Thanks in advance for the help.

 

[mustski]

Sounds a bit like plantar fasciitis - try runner’s stretches and see if that helps

 

[newbieM]

I thought plantar fasciitis was in the arch. This is up closer to the toes behind toes 2-4.

stretches don’t seem to help but I’ve been doing them. I just worry if I stick my foot into my new boots it’s going to kill me. I got boots half way through the season and they aren’t broken in yet. We are currently in a love hate relationship so this foot thing has me worried.

 

[mustski]

Mine hit in the ball of the foot first and barely in the arch at all. Later it was bad in the heel. It could be a lot of things. Do you use footbeds for running and/or hiking? How about for skiing? One of the things that causes foot pain is lack of foot support. Oddly enough, my plantar fasciitis was from swimming. I had always worn high heels and I took up swimming -about a half to a mile a day. The change of foot position caused it.

 

[Jilly]

Instead of stretches, have you tried rolling your foot. I keep a frozen bottle of water, 500mm size in the freezer for this.

 

[MissySki]

Instead of stretches, have you tried rolling your foot. I keep a frozen bottle of water, 500mm size in the freezer for this.

Great idea! A few years ago I started using balls to roll under my feet at times. Then last year went a step further, though not originally just for my feet.. I now use a Theragun on the soles of my feet before and after skiing (in addition to other body areas), what a wonderful difference it makes in relaxing my feet in my ski boots! Really helps so many things.. but for me I used to sometimes get crampy sore feet to start the day until they settled into my boots/footbeds.. that almost never happens outside of the first day or two of the season now.

 

[newbieM]

Instead of stretches, have you tried rolling your foot. I keep a frozen bottle of water, 500mm size in the freezer for this.

Nope, I haven't tried that. I'll pop a bottle in the freezer and try that today. What a great idea! going to do that for when I ski too!

 

[MaineSkiLady]

This sounds like metatarsalgia. I had the same symptoms about 6 weeks ago (also had it about 10 years ago).

I went to a good orthopedic shoe store that carries lots of stock insoles. I already had my own. They put metatarsal pads on the bottom side of 2 pairs of stock orthotics (there is one brand, whose name I’ve forgotten, that has metatarsal pads already installed). They are teardrop-shaped and are glued on. They feel odd at first, but the relief...

The relief is immediate. I’ve been wearing mine for going on 2 weeks now, and I have minimal pain or discomfort.

I’ve not yet had any put on my custom ski boot orthotics, TBD.

Wishing you luck. Google the term to learn more. It’s remedial, but left untreated, it can lead to a Morton’s neuroma. Which you don’t want.

 

[SkiBam]

I'm dealing with foot pain as well. Part of the problem is arthritis in my ankle (broke that ankle in my 20s and the doc says that could be causing problems). I've been doing exercises for this, but now seem to also have pain on bottom of heel. Is that from plantar fasciitis? This foot has bothered me on and off for years so I don't think I'm ever going to completely cure it - just need to manage it. Will try the frozen bottle trick and will look up metatarsalgia. I did have severe neck pain for a long time, which scan showed was arthritis. I see a sports medicine doc who gave me exercises which I did religiously for at least a year. Neck pain is now totally gone - but I fear it just moved down to my foot! Sheesh.

 

[newbieM]

Thanks for all this helpful advice. I have extra flexible joints (sprained an ankle too) and have bunions so I have a predisposition for arthritis and was hoping this wasn't the first sign of things to come.

I'll look up metatarsalgia and investigate the pads you were talking about. I'll let you know what the doc says on Thursday.

 

[Jilly]

I have metatarsal pads in my orthotics. And as MSL states - instant relief.

 

[MaineSkiLady]

@SkiBam - heel pain isn't generally indicative of plantar fasciitis. That tends to cramp up the sole of the foot, especially in the a.m. Metartarsalgia is specific to the ball of the foot, just to the inside of the heavy padded area. Problem with the latter is that it can irritate the nerves enough to create a neuroma, thus Morton's neuroma. Only real cure for that is surgery. I believe several on this site have had it. Best not to get to that point ... This IS remedial. As to heel pain, that's a whole different ball game.

 

[SarahXC]

@SkiBam is the pain toward the front of the heel? Less ankle range of motion can definitely up the stress on the plantar fascia.

 

[SkiBam]

When I say "heel" I mean the back part of the sole of the foot (pretty much the red section in the image above). Due to the ankle arthritis, I've been working on strengthening this area: raise up on toes, then lower (but not so that it hurts); balance on this foot; and using an elastic. The heel pain just started, though I've had it before. I did a very gentle cross-country ski this morning, mainly on the flat, and that felt quite good as I guess not much weight goes onto the back of the foot - as opposed to walking. When I think of it I've had problems on and off with this foot for years. I'll make an appointment with the sports med doc, and maybe the physiotherapist. And keep exercising.

 

[liquidfeet]

@SkiBam - heel pain isn't generally indicative of plantar fasciitis. That tends to cramp up the sole of the foot, especially in the a.m. Metartarsalgia is specific to the ball of the foot, just to the inside of the heavy padded area. Problem with the latter is that it can irritate the nerves enough to create a neuroma, thus Morton's neuroma. Only real cure for that is surgery. I believe several on this site have had it. Best not to get to that point ... This IS remedial. As to heel pain, that's a whole different ball game.

Is the pain under your ball-of-foot? If so I agree it might be Morton's neuroma. There are solutions to that which don't involve surgery.

Morton's neuroma is due to a nerve getting pinched between the metatarsals, and inflammation happening as a result. The pain can be relieved by inserting a pad in the right spot under the ball-of-foot. That pad will spread the bones above it apart and relieve the nerve pinch, so the inflammation and the pain goes away.


Is the pain located something like this? If so it might be Morton's neuroma.

A small pad attached to the bottom/underneath of your footbed can do the trick. It doesn't need to be a huge pad like you'll see online if you Google Morton's neuroma pad.

Your bootfitter can shape and attach a simple custom-made pad that works. Or you can attach duct tape or moleskin or whatever yourself to the bottom of your footbed. I've done this for years. Use trial and error until your pain goes away. The size of the pad can be small so it pinpoints the area that needs lifting. Here's an example from online. Note I'm not suggesting sticking a pad directly to your foot.

 

[newbieM]

Thanks for all the super helpful advice! dr suggested either bone bruise or stress fracture. He said to check back in a week with ice and regular intervals of alleve. If it doesn’t get better he’ll xray.

has anyone heard about this crazy internet thing about spraying your feet with lidocaine to help alleviate foot pain? Haven’t tried it but wonder if it will help.

 

[TNtoTaos]

I think these remedial suggestions could be helpful, but consulting with a foot/ankle specialist, either a Podiatrist or Orthopedic surgeon, is the best idea, just to make sure it's not something that would require surgery, and that you're not heading in the wrong direction. You don't want to exacerbate an injury or prevent whatever is wrong from healing properly.