Morton's Foot?

July 8, 2004

Hi Ann,

What can you tell me about Morton's foot.

Of course soon after you mention this, my foot

is starting to ache in the area you mentioned.

Actually periodically, I've had these pains, and they

started to flare up when I got a new pair of shoes.

Good thing I got a new pair of my old shoes too

at the same time.

Well, it hurts under the 2nd metatarsal, and well its messing

with my foot placement and walking. As my ankle is starting

to hurt, and I can tell thowing off my when I exercise.

The ankle muscles on the outside are irritated, and not

letting the ones on the inner side do their work. Which

is throwing off the muscles in the upper leg.

I called to get an appointment with the pod next week.

Any short term guidance you can give.

Or links? I thought you posted a link to this

recently but can't seem to find it.

I read conflicting things on-line. One says put the

metatarsal pad under the 2nd med, the other said put

it under the first metatarsal, and not anywhere near

the 2nd metatarsal.

When you mentioned you had sergery for something in that

area, what did they remove? Something extra growing in the

area, or changing bone structure?

Connie

> Pain in the ball of the foot could be Morton's neuroma (I had one

removed in the mid-90's -- not very successful -- and have pain in

both feet as if they're Morton's neuroma now, but I also weigh 30 lb

more than I should). A metatarsal pad (Dr Scholl) might help, but

it would be good to see a podiatrist. It's hard to know where to

place those pads, and once they're stuck onto the insole, they're

pretty much impossible to move.

>

> Ann]

July 8, 2004

>Hi Ann,

>What can you tell me about Morton's foot.

>Of course soon after you mention this, my foot

>is starting to ache in the area you mentioned.

right. I hate when my body does that. I was dating a guy in 1991 who had

pain in the big joint of his big toe. Then I got pain there, and I still have

it. And HE's long gone!!

Anyway, there's this nerve that runs between the " ring " toe and the middle toe

that in some people (I suspect it's people with a flat metatarsal arch, but

that's just a guess) gets pinched. I always had a kind of twang there if

stepped " wrong " , kind of like a " funny bone " twang, but after I took up hiking,

it got worse. I remember one day I was on a rugged moutainside and it was

really cold and raining, and that nerve hurt so bad I just wanted to die. I

don't know why cold made it worse. You'd think it would shrink it.

I went to the doc, who referred me to a podiatrist, who surgically removed the

nerve (the condition is called Morton's neuroma) from appx the beginning

(proximal end) of the met. arch on out. The incision was on the top of the foot

& I thought recovery time would be nothing, but it was a month. He showed me

the nerve -- it was WAY thicker than I'd thought nerves were, esp. ones that

insignificant (it only serves the medial side of the " ring " toe and the lateral

side of the middle toe -- which are now devoid of feeling, but that doesn't

bother me, although you do have to be careful clipping your toenails!). I don't

know whether it was swollen from irritation or that was its normal size. Looked

liked a white earthworm.

Anyway, after a year or two, I began to have the same pain there & went to see

a different doctor -- this one was an orthopedic surgeon specializing in feet,

who said it could have grown back or scar tissue might have formed and that was

irritating it, and she could probably fix it, but shortly afterward she left for

Australia, so I never got it fixed. Now I'm having the same pain in the other

foot as well, but I blame it on my extra weight (pushing the met. arch flatter

and pinching the nerve) and the fact that when I started going back to the gym I

was using the StairMaster & putting my weight on the balls of my feet to work

the VMO.

>Actually periodically, I've had these pains, and they

>started to flare up when I got a new pair of shoes.

My foot pain in my right foot was also coincidental with my getting a new pair

of ( " tennis " ) shoes. Since then I've loosened the shoe strings over the arch &

that's helped in regular walking.

>Good thing I got a new pair of my old shoes too

>at the same time.

>Well, it hurts under the 2nd metatarsal,

Is this the 2nd from the lateral side or the medial side? I'm not famliar

with how they name them.

>and well its messing

>with my foot placement and walking.

No kidding. Sometimes when mine are hurting I have to walk on the sides of my

feet. I just bought an arch support that also has a metatarsal pad. Haven't

used it yet.

> As my ankle is starting

>to hurt, and I can tell thowing off my when I exercise.

>The ankle muscles on the outside are irritated, and not

>letting the ones on the inner side do their work. Which

>is throwing off the muscles in the upper leg.

Until you get the metatarsal pain fixed, maybe you should do ankle

strengthening exercises:

http://www.sportsinjuryclinic.net/cybertherapist/front/foot/peroneus/strengtheni\

ng.php

>I called to get an appointment with the pod next week.

>Any short term guidance you can give.

>Or links? I thought you posted a link to this

>recently but can't seem to find it.

I don't remember posting a link on Morton's neuroma. I don't have a link for

one in my bookmarks.

>I read conflicting things on-line. One says put the

>metatarsal pad under the 2nd med, the other said put

>it under the first metatarsal, and not anywhere near

>the 2nd metatarsal.

Unfortunately, I don't know where the damn pads are supposed to go. I've read

different things too. The instructions on the Dr. Scholl's pads I bought said

put it behind the metatarsal arch. The pod should know. Please let me know

what s/he says.

>When you mentioned you had sergery for something in that

>area, what did they remove? Something extra growing in the

>area, or changing bone structure?

Just the nerve. The second doc would have removed scar tissue if that had

formed. I sure wish she hadn't moved to Australia. She was really good.

Good luck. Please keep me posted on this.

Ann

>Connie

> Pain in the ball of the foot could be Morton's neuroma (I had one

removed in the mid-90's -- not very successful -- and have pain in

both feet as if they're Morton's neuroma now, but I also weigh 30 lb

more than I should). A metatarsal pad (Dr Scholl) might help, but

it would be good to see a podiatrist. It's hard to know where to

place those pads, and once they're stuck onto the insole, they're

pretty much impossible to move.

>

> Ann]

July 9, 2004

Hi Ann,

Thanks for the info.

The pain is in the toe next to the bit toe if that

helps. My doc appointment is next tuesday, I'll let

you know what he says.

Connie

July 12, 2004

HI Ann,

I'm not sure if it is or isn't morton's.

I've been strictly wearing my " old " shoes. I'll have

to look into returning the different pair. I wore them

outside, so may not be able to return them.

My foot is feeling better, I've been massaging the area

and a little icing. Along with icing down the part of my

ankle that hurts too. I'm not exactly sure if the

2 pains are related or not. Seems when one hurts, or

feels tired, then both areas do. I really suspect that

the different pair of shoes must have aggrivated something.

Connie

> From what I've read, that wouldn't be Morton's.

>

> Those " arch support " inserts I bought that have a metatarsal pad

(and a nice padded heel area) are WONDERFUL!! I was able to walk &

do the treadmill for 15 min (what I usually do) yesterday with NO

PAIN. They're just el cheapo supports I got in a grocery store.

Made by Profoot & called Triad. They don't do much for the

longitudinal arch, but the met pad must be in just the right place

for my feet.

>

> Oh. Here they are:

http://www.drugstore.com/qxp80633_333181_sespider/profoot_care/bonus_

pack_triad_orthotic_insert_womens.htm

>

> The ones I got say " Fits all " . Yeah, right. I didn't think