People run funny. It’s true. If you’ve ever set up camp next to a track and watched the funny mammals go round and round then you’ll know that you don’t need retinal scanning to uniquely identify someone – you just have to watch their running gait. (Although I hear it’s hard to make dead bodies run so perhaps there is still a need for fingerprinting and the like. Or Voodoo.) I remember one woman at our Y known solely by the moniker “Pam Who Runs On Her Toes.” And Pam was truly a sight to see, boinging up and down around the track like a gazelle wearing moon boots. Her legend lives on passed down from runner to runner despite the fact that I don’t think she’s worked out there for 3 years now.
The net result of all this weird running – besides good stories – is weird foot pain. While I myself have experienced shin splints and corns, and the Gym Buddies have had bouts of plantar fascitis, Reader Joshua’s (of TechnicalParent) pain was all new:
I’ve never been a runner. Exercise wasn’t something my parents instilled in me as a child. So, I’ve just started running and am kind of enjoying it. The only problem is that my feet are starting to hurt; not the arches, but the tops of my feet close to my toe joints. Do you know anything about the physiology of running? Am I doing this wrong in some way (obviously)? I guess I mean in terms of hitting the ground too hard, or not using my full foot and putting too much weight on the balls of my feet. Any help/advice would be appreciated, mostly by my feet, but the rest of me, too.
I replied oh-so-helpfully with three suggestions:
Congrats on taking up running! I’m glad you are enjoying it so far! I’m not an expert on foot pain but I do have a few ideas for you to consider:
1. Your shoes. Are they old? Are they actually running shoes (not cross trainers)?
2. Your stride. Have you ever had your stride analyzed? Are you a mid-foot striker? A heel-striker? Heaven help you, a toe runner? Most specialty running stores will analyze your gait for free and give you suggestions to make it more efficient.
3. Stretching. After each run, do “towel pick ups” to strenghten and stretch your toes. Drop a hand towel on the floor and then pick it up using your toes. Repeat… oh I don’t know, a bunch of times:) I also like to write the alphabet with each foot to stretch my shins & feet.Don’t continue to run on it though if the pain is getting worse!
I should have just said, “Wow you’re a freak! I’ve never heard of that!” and then shut up because really I have no idea. But I bet one of you knows what he’s talking about! Have you ever had weird foot pain while running? Did you run through it or take a rest? What did you do to get past it?
*clears throat*
well, since Im a runner OFFICIALLY NOW (dramatic pause) I actually still have no advice to proffer 🙂
I shall wait for yer wiser readers to arrive.
So funny you wrote about this today… I actually woke up with the exact same foot pain. It runs right along the top bone connecting to my big toe.
I have no idea how to fix it, though. It's been here now for months, and sometimes is really quite painful.
Ah well! What doesn't kill you… makes you stronger? 😉
I am a runner who deals with foot pain. I had pain along the top part of my foot by the toe joints also. I think it cam because I would curl my toes under to grip the ground causing them to ache. Along with Charlotte's suggestions (particularly the new shoes fitted at a running shop!!!) I suggest these: http://www.injinji.com/tetratsok/performance.htm. I know it's expensive for socks but since i have started using them, my toe pain has disappeared!!
Responding to "cooking in cambridge," it sounds like you have tendonitis in your big toe. I had that same pain and I was told to take a break from running until it went away. ALSO, mine started because I tied my shoes too tight putting pressure on that bone.
Hope this helps!
It could also be the way he is tying his shoes. The laces can put a lot of added stress on the top of the foot. A search on runnersworld.com will turn up LOTS of information.
i don't know if i've ever dealt with this before but when i had my foot aches stretching my calves worked wonders! as did using the stick, although it sounds like the perfect reason to schedule a massage ha
Here's my general take on running:
http://calorielab.com/news/2009/10/04/dr-j-on-running-our-feet-and-the-shoes-that-cover-them/
In addition, consider lacing too tightly, or not lacing over the areas where there is pain. I could do a better job if I saw her, it's too hard to tell in print.
See this is why I love you guys!! Tying your shoe laces too tight!!! I never would have thought of that. Which I totally should because I am terrible about tying my shoes too tight! Thank you!
Perhaps your friend should run like "Pam Who Runs on her Toes". There's increasing evidence that running as if barefoot puts less stress on the foot and knee than the all-too-common heel striking when wearing traditional running shoes (http://barefootrunning.fas.harvard.edu/index.html). Injury rates have increased as shoe technology has improved. I wonder if "Pam" ever had running injuries.
Of course, your friend mentioned "putting too much weight on the balls of my feet". Anyone just starting out running should take it slow – start with a mile or less and build up from there, perhaps adding 10% a week. This builds up the foot strength necessary to go longer distances.
As for treatment, RICE has worked for me (rest, ice, compression, elevation) when I've battled injuries (in my heel striking days). I tried to fight through injuries, but I would just get reinjured. So if I absolutely had to get out (like every day) I would walk or do strength training until my injury healed.
What I wouldn't do is spend a lot of money on new running shoes. Get the least cushioned shoe, learn to run properly (see link), and build up strength. Hiking in minimal shoes is great at building foot strength without putting a lot of stress on the joints.
Momma needs a new pair of shoes.
Anytime I find I have foot pain it means my shoes are worn out. I tell the running store people my foot prblems, they watch me walk and suggest 4 or 5 pairs to choose from. I picke the comfiest (and OK the cutest) ones and off I go…foot pain away.
I really have to insist this reader go to a doctor and/or a physiotherapist. Sure, stretching and footwear make a huge difference, but it could easily be a unique and fundamental problem. Sure would be great if we could diagnose these things over the internet, but alas….
They could need very specific exercises, orthotic footwear, or even both to avoid permanent damage. It can be pricey, but it's worth every penny.
Adjusting the stride without professional advice is inadvisable at best. It may get rid of *this* pain, but the compensatory pain will be no better.
The good news is, there's no reason to stop running in the meantime! Just…you know, get it dealt with soon.
My husband had this kind of pain a bit ago. The first thing the doctor said was to tie his laces looser, but he already did that, so that wasn’t the problem. Turns out he had some sort of tendinitis or inflammation in those bones. (He thinks it started with a bad set of calf raises.) He took a few weeks off running (did elliptical and bike) and felt much better. I’d say see a podiatrist or ortho either way. If it’s something bad, it’s better to figure it out now as opposed to when it’s much more inflamed.
Hey,
I run too, and about a year ago got this dull pain right by my toes and only on one foot. I ignored it and kept running, and over the course of six months, it got worse and worse, until I couldn't walk without hobbling, nevertheless run anymore.
I went to the doctor, and a few tests determined it was a Neuroma, which is a swollen nerve. After getting that fixed, it was completely better.
I appreciate the advice so far. Definitely plenty of ice and all that so far. Several things I've noticed since I first wrote Charlotte.
I walk on the balls of my feet. This comes from sneaking out of the house as a kid, sneaking up on people then, too, and moving around the house without waking kids. Interesting thing I found is that when I run in place with the Wii Fit or too slow on a treadmill, I'm still putting all the weight on my toes and the ball of my feet. Like I'm springing to the next footfall. However, when I'm outside running, I heel-toe it the whole way. I've also slowed down a bit to examine the step and make the conscious effort to olace the foot correctly. While the right foot still hurts (the left is fine) it's much better than last Saturday.
I also took a look at my shoes and then remembered that I specifically bought them to start running a year ago but never started. So, they're definitely New Balance runners and not cross-trainers. I've surmised that this is a good thing.
I guess I'm just doing it too hard. And that's what she said.
Sorry, I had to get it in there. TWSS again.
And I love the name cunn1nglinguist. One of the best jokes I've ever heard had that as a punch line.
I'll be heading to the doctor Thursday if it's not better.
My totally un-expert opinion is that the type of shoe and the type of stride are probably the most important factors in explaining (and eliminating) pain while running. I agree with your (Charlotte's) advice about getting fit for proper running shoes and watching how your feet hit the ground. My husband is a toe-runner (God help him is right!) and he was getting some bad leg pains until I pointed out the fact that he was running on his toes. Once he became more aware of his stride and made a conscious effort to land on his actual foot (vs. on his toes) the pain he was experiencing went away.
cunn1nglinguist — (love your name, btw) Not that I'm a professional/even all that knowledgeable, but if I were the reader, I would probably try more conventional/cheaper solutions (like buying new shoes and learning to run so my foot hits the ground in a better way) before I went to the doctor about this problem.
From my limited experience it could be a number of things:
1) old/wrong shoes
2)gait/ foot-fall
3) excess weight 🙁
4) being a beginner. I think it just takes time for our bodies to adjust to new movements, so those foot bones should strengthen with time.
5) terrain! Are you running on concrete? treadmill? That makes a big difference.
I haven't had that type of pain due to running- but I have had several bouts of random pain that I've dealt with pretty successfully since I've become a runner.
1) My first suggestion would be to get professional advice on the next pair of shoes you buy. Go to a running store where they can tell you whether you overpronate (and other stuff like that) and where they let you jog a little ways in front of the store to try the shoe out before you buy it.
2) Now days, when I start getting random pains, I take it as a signal that my shoes are getting old. New shoes almost always make the pain go away for me.
3) What surface are you running on? If concrete, switch to grass. If grass, switch to concrete. Both can exacerbate certain types of injuries.
4) Ibuprofen. I try not to take medicine needlessly, but sometimes a little anti-inflammatory medicine can go a long way. If you haven't tried taking a couple ibuprofen (not on an empty stomach, mind you) *after* your run, see if that helps.
5) Gait- at what point in the run do you develop the pain? I found recently that I was getting knee pain near the end of my run when I was starting to slow down a bit. So whatever was happening with my slower gait, my knee didn't like it. I made an effort to pick up my pace at the end (and got new shoes) and the pain is completely gone.
6) If the pain is really bad and doesn't go away- see a Dr.
Good luck with your running!!
If the shoes don't have enough cushioning, are too small, are too wide in the toe box, or the runner is doing too much too fast. This can cause stress fractures and they are both frustrating and painful.
Foot pain? Well I would have to say I am officially the queen of foot problems! I have rolled my ankles about a million times each, I have ruptured all the ligaments in both ankles and now have just muscle to support them, I know awesome! My newest problem has come on since giving birth or so the foot dr. says. I work at a gym and get to work out a lot, I also run a lot, but in the past year have developed a neuroma in both of my feet. The pain in your toes can be really really bad. It actually started out not so bad, but the more it gets inflamed the worse it feels and I literally have to stop and take my shoe off to get it to calm down! Mine are so bad, I was told surgery was my only option to get them to go away. I am totally anti-surgery and have been trying different ways to stop the pain. I have tried cortisone shots, acupuncture and just recently have started paying attention to how I walk and correcting my walking back to normal. I realized I was compensating for the pain and walking and running differently….causing more pain. Consciously walking normal is making the pain go away! Amazing!
My suggestion is when in doubt go to the podiatrist! If I would have gone earlier my problem may have been solved. Im still may have to have surgery but we will see, I am very stubborn!
So, if Joshua lives in MN he could visit Wendi at Gear West in Long Lake. She does a gait analysis for $25 (much cheaper than a Dr. visit). I refer to her as the "foot whisper." She does AMAZING things and specializes in running.
Rebecca
AHEM… my husband, the podiatrist says,
1- Your shoes aren't fitted correctly, either too tight or too big (when you step the break of the shoe could be in the wrong location).
2-Hill running, if you're running on too many hills, that will cause your tendon across the joints to work harder.
3- Her achilles tendon could be tight causing other tensons to overwork. The pain could be tendonitis.
Those are some of the more likely explainations based on what she said. Without seeing right where the pain is located, it's difficult for him to say.
What can be done? Try different shoes, avoid hills for a while, and stretch your feet.
Hope that helps!!
i'm a runner and have had a few issues, but not what you are describing. you've got a lot of great suggsetions here, let me see if i can add a few more things to think about (hopefully i'm not repeating).
1. go to a specialty running store that will put you on a treadmill and actually analyze your gait and tell you what the best running sneaker is for you.
2. the RICE method is always good
3. put a tennis ball on the floor and roll your bare foot over it, it is a great massage.
good luck!
Impact shock?
Definition of impact shock from the fab old school Runner's Repair Manual:
http://books.google.com/books?id=eZDDQrz_grIC&pg=PA141&lpg=PA141&dq=impact+shock+new+runner
I highly, highly recommend the book "Born to Run" by Christopher McDougall. It's by a guy who was experiencing a lot of pain from running, and he ends up hanging out with a group of indigenous Mexicans who run super long distances without pain, and learning from them. It's fast-paced and exciting.
I would highly recommend making an appointment with the Podiatrist for a gait analysis. Any pain or discomfort in the feet should be acted upon immediately.
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