Mortons Neuroma/Interdigital Neuritis

[chinooktrail]

I have a foot condition that causes the nerve in my left foot to swell up and get pinched by my bones when I do anything that puts a lot of pressure on the foot, hiking, biking, running etc... It is something that I have managed to live with, but it has gotten progressively worse over the years. I can no longer do back to back hikes or run 2 days in a row. I have tried orthodics, but no relief, and yesterday I received a steroid shot right in the swollen nerve, OUCH!!
What I would like to know is if there is anyone else out there that has this same problem, and what do you do? Has anyone had the surgery and did it work? I need to invest in Motrin or Tylenol if this doesn't improve! I am hopeful that the shot will make everything all better, and I will never have to worry about it again. Hopeful, but not convinced...

Thanks!
Christine

 

[Waumbek]

I was hobbled by it a couple of years ago and thought I'd be hanging up the hiking boots. I did some reading on the web and thought it best to start with the lowest tech solution possible since I didn't like what I read about surgery prospects. I went to the drug store and got several different types of metatarsal pads. Some did nothing, but one finally worked. Nothing fancy--I just stuck it on the bottom of my foot under a sock liner and perspiration basically kept it in place although I'd have to stop hiking now and then and readjust. (Actually, the pads have a sticky bottom, and I used two double-decker to start with, then reduced to one. A single pad did not create enough separation to relieve pressure, hence inflammation.) It took awhile, almost a year, but gradually the inflammation died down, and it's been trouble free now for several years. I carry the pads in my "emergency kit" wherever I go (hiking, biking, city walking, etc.) just in case it crops up again. I think the trick is to relieve the pressure asap so that the inflammation doesn't start up again. DIY can take a long time to solve this problem but persistence pays off. At least it did for me. I have also been careful to gets boots and regular shoes a bit wider to relieve the "crowding" in the lower part of the foot. On the other hand, I have since heard of people who have had successful surgery. But they were not hikers so I don't know how they would have fared on the trail again. Good luck with solving this.

 

[weatherman]

I like Waumbek's idea. If you do end up needing a podiatrist and are anywhere near Central MA, PM me and I can fill you in- I know an awesome one who is well respected by marathon runners, etc. His mantra is "I always think twice before considering major surgery... which is defined as any surgery done on ME". Pretty good, from someone who does it for a living. Good luck.
Weatherman

 

[John H Swanson]

This whole thing as been discussed at length previously.

In short, large toebox shoes and a metatarsal pad like the one from Spenco worked for me.

 

[iceNsnow]

Another solution:

My daughter had something that sounds like what you describe. After going to her athletic trainer (she runs), he recommended using a pad w/ a hole in it so that the pressure is relieved in the troubled spot. It worked for her. Maybe it will work for you!

 

[chinooktrail]

Thanks for the info, I will search again for this problem, it was probably from a post from me a year or so back. I tried the pads and orthotics and all that already. I got some relief from that for a while, but it has just gone downhill quickly. I mostly can only wear Birkenstocks, and broke down and shelled out the $$ to buy their hiking boots too. That helps a bit, but even they allow the problem to happen. It usually doesn't rear its ugly head hiking until after 4 or 5 hours. Going back down is usually very painful. Running it starts around 3 or so miles. Biking, after 20 miles being clipped in it starts to be painful. I don't think I mountain bike long enough or hard enough to have it hurt, thankfully! I am hoping that the steroid shot will do the trick, and I will be done with this! I just didn't know how persistant or prevalent this was out there.

 

[Quietman]

Here's some previous threads

#1
#2
#3

 

[Camel]

I used to get them cycling (but not hiking). For biking I switched to wearing sandels, from tight fitting MTB shoes. The sandals I use areShimano SPD clipless type w/eggbeaters pedals.