Treatment of Mortons Neuroma - intense burning pain in ball of foot

[Shredhead]

Mine flared up again this fall, after a long hike. I went back to only wearing shoes with really good arch support. Dansko Clogs out on the town and Spenco slides around the house. All my footwear has some type of semi custom footbed.

[old goat]

I've found that at least arch supports (Superfeet) sometimes make my neuromas worse, maybe by not letting the metatarsals spread. They work for plantar fasciitis though.

[auvgeek]

Been resting it (no running/hiking/skiing) and using toe spreaders. Seems to be getting better so far -- pain is pretty much gone but still have a touch of numbness/tingling -- but the real test will be when I start moving on my feet again. Had been up to 10+ hrs a week of running/touring so it's been really hard to take two days off. Might try to bike today.

[bourbonisgood]

I've found that at least arch supports (Superfeet) sometimes make my neuromas worse, maybe by not letting the metatarsals spread. They work for plantar fasciitis though.

I wouldn’t expect on OTC orthotic to provide any relief from a neuroma as they are a corrective only in the rear foot. A metatarsal arch pad would be more specific biomechanically for the neuroma pain and can be had cheaply online

[rod9301]

I wouldn’t expect on OTC orthotic to provide any relief from a neuroma as they are a corrective only in the rear foot. A metatarsal arch pad would be more specific biomechanically for the neuroma pain and can be had cheaply online

Good advice.

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[Shredhead]

I add the metatarsal pads to the footbeds.

[mel221]

I have had pain from my Morton's neuroma for over 20 years. The wider shoe/boot worked for a long time and then stopped working. For skiing, I had my boot fitter add the metatarsal bump to the custom foot bed (sport loft in SLC). I had the pain while hiking, so I had sport loft create a custom bed with the metatarsal bump. I also have gym shoes (new balance) with an insole insert that has the metatarsal bump.

In summary, the metatarsal bump is the solution.

[klauss]

Do I maybe have this? The third/fourth toes are experiencing twinging pain when I am doing certain hard turns and has been getting worse every time I ski. No burning or constant pain, just when I do certain movements in ski boots on left foot only. Like the sensation of sticking your tongue on a 9-volt battery, but more intense and in the toes. It has been going away when not skiing or in ski boots, but when I get back in ski boots I can feel it when I make certain movements. fuuuhk

[Core Shot]

Yup, that’s the beginning.

Think about not letting your bones grind when doing activities. There’s a nerve in there that is getting pinched.

Don’t wear narrow shoes.
If you have custom foot beds, have them push a met arch into it.
Also, race plug boots with narrow toe boxes are evil.

[klauss]

Thanks for the response.

Boots for last few seasons are 100 mm boots nordica speed machines that are even punched on outside of foot. I also use blue super feet.

Don’t feel too narrow at this point but boots my whole life have. There’s a chance I need more room.

I will look into met arch pad mod.

Sounds like a death sentence

[Core Shot]

Not a death sentence
You caught it early.
Boots sound fine.

Instead of a stock superfeet, get a comformable custom footbed with a met arch. It helps spread the bones apart

[klauss]

Thanks again.

I get most often get the sensation along with a click when I roll my ankle from the outside ski edge to inside ski edge on harder turns. like a nerve between toes is rolling over something sharp/clicking then the painful sensation. Also I have quite a bit of vertical room in the toe box.

Also, nothing hurts or feels different when I message my foot in the general areal, but I am starting to get the twinge (feeling of a nerve sliding over/under something) more often when not in a ski boot.

------------------

Another thought I had is that boot fitting the front of a ski boot at the mid height of the ski boot to add width may cause a bit of a concave shape at the front of the foot cause the foot to squeeze in middle. Anyways the metatarsal pad makes a lot of sense.

Conformable footbeds is in order

[telemon10]

Any recommendations for a met arch or pad? Are these added to a footbed or are there footbeds that include a met pad?

I have been having issues with narrow-fitting shoes/boots. It is largely controlled with wide shoes, but it can flare up on long hikes. Since getting Scarpa Maestrales (101mm last) it hasn't been an issue with skiing or skinning.

[dcpnz]

I've had success with these arch pads added to stock insoles in many shoes to spread metatarsels and take pressure off the nerve. Placement seems critical - to far forward makes problem worse, too far back didn't do anything

Pedag T-form Anatomically Correct Metatarsal Arch Pads https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00EV5AKBE..._9QQHCb224YMZR

Also Aline insoles work well for me because they have a metatarsel pad built in. I use these in my touring boots where I don't have a full custom footbed.
www.aline.com

FWIW I get by without a met pad in my alpine boots with a custom footbed.





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[klauss]

Will something like a toe separator help in between the 3rd and 4th toe?

The clicking and associated sensation I get when I roll my foot from outside to inside weighting (like a back foot in a baseball swing or rolling the foot for a ski turn on groomer) goes away when I physically separate my 3rd and 4th toes and do the same motion.

This product is not marketed as such and maybe this will cause other problems..

[rod9301]

Will something like a toe separator help in between the 3rd and 4th toe?

The clicking and associated sensation I get when I roll my foot from outside to inside weighting (like a back foot in a baseball swing or rolling the foot for a ski turn on groomer) goes away when I physically separate my 3rd and 4th toes and do the same motion.

This product is not marketed as such and maybe this will cause other problems..

The main thing is to have wider shoes or boots. This is what caused the neuroma.

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[Cabinfever]

Might have mentioned this before but intuitions molded w a toecap give my piggies just enough room that my neuroma never bothers me while skiing. Maybe try them in boots you generally like.


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[JRainey]

I've had the issue for a few years. Started with a season with way too tight boots, then followed up with a spring hiking in narrow running shoes. That sealed the deal, although thinking back the feeling had been popping up years before, just never really a problem.

Skiing I wouldn't feel the pain, just numbness, then walking a would get the pop rolling onto the ball of my foot.

Now it's under control, a few things:

Custom Footbed:
I've got the same type, milled foam, for skiing and walking/running in different densities. They scan the foot, then a cnc machine mills it. I've had a ski guide/pro skier tell me they were crap, but you can't trust them. I've had two pairs of conformables and the foams ski just as good, and only way 20g.

For walking they are essential, they didn't feel supportive at first, but the pain was going away shortly after that (mixed with wider shoes)

I've had two pairs and on the first I was taping shit on the bottom to get more of the met spread, so on the second pair they raised the metatarsal bump (which extisted on the first). The include bump was further back then I was testing with my own material, but my foot better.

Wider Shoes/Boots

Like others have said, you've gotta give the feet room to spread. All bets are off, even if you think your shoes are wide enough. I've got 15 pairs of shoes I don't wear anymore.

When the problem came, there was only one shoe i owned that didn't cause problems, then I tried on 20 more to find a new one. Luckily the pain was such that I could tell right away what shoes wouldn't work.

Ski boots are now wider and I even went up to my normal size (26) after years of snug 25's. Like I said I don't notice the pain when I ski, but I can feel it afterwards while walking. The boots aren't perfect, but they are in a decent place.

Fucking Altras

These are the world's ugliest running shoes (for the most part), but they might just be what you're looking for. They're wide (mostly), but they have the toebox that most "barefoot" shoes have, they call it "Foot Shape". Basically the toes don't taper in.

This for me was a big deal as the most of the wide shoes I tried still gave me problems. Normal shoes flare out at the met heads, then taper toward the toes and don't allow for spread. If you size up, then your met heads are in some skinnier part of the shoes, and thus constricted.

So having the width and allowing the toes to spread has really been great. This is more a thing for me in flexible shoes, for mountaineer boots and ski boots having enough width is ok.


I don't feel like they will go away at this point because an hour in dress shoes or something narrow and it's brutal, but with the right footwear it's not something I have to worry about.

[Dantheman]

Fucking Altras

Topo Athletic has a similar design philosophy. I bought a pair of Runventure 2s last fall and have been pretty happy with them.

[rod9301]

I've had the issue for a few years. Started with a season with way too tight boots, then followed up with a spring hiking in narrow running shoes. That sealed the deal, although thinking back the feeling had been popping up years before, just never really a problem.

Skiing I wouldn't feel the pain, just numbness, then walking a would get the pop rolling onto the ball of my foot.

Now it's under control, a few things:

Custom Footbed:
I've got the same type, milled foam, for skiing and walking/running in different densities. They scan the foot, then a cnc machine mills it. I've had a ski guide/pro skier tell me they were crap, but you can't trust them. I've had two pairs of conformables and the foams ski just as good, and only way 20g.

For walking they are essential, they didn't feel supportive at first, but the pain was going away shortly after that (mixed with wider shoes)

I've had two pairs and on the first I was taping shit on the bottom to get more of the met spread, so on the second pair they raised the metatarsal bump (which extisted on the first). The include bump was further back then I was testing with my own material, but my foot better.

Wider Shoes/Boots

Like others have said, you've gotta give the feet room to spread. All bets are off, even if you think your shoes are wide enough. I've got 15 pairs of shoes I don't wear anymore.

When the problem came, there was only one shoe i owned that didn't cause problems, then I tried on 20 more to find a new one. Luckily the pain was such that I could tell right away what shoes wouldn't work.

Ski boots are now wider and I even went up to my normal size (26) after years of snug 25's. Like I said I don't notice the pain when I ski, but I can feel it afterwards while walking. The boots aren't perfect, but they are in a decent place.

Fucking Altras

These are the world's ugliest running shoes (for the most part), but they might just be what you're looking for. They're wide (mostly), but they have the toebox that most "barefoot" shoes have, they call it "Foot Shape". Basically the toes don't taper in.

This for me was a big deal as the most of the wide shoes I tried still gave me problems. Normal shoes flare out at the met heads, then taper toward the toes and don't allow for spread. If you size up, then your met heads are in some skinnier part of the shoes, and thus constricted.

So having the width and allowing the toes to spread has really been great. This is more a thing for me in flexible shoes, for mountaineer boots and ski boots having enough width is ok.


I don't feel like they will go away at this point because an hour in dress shoes or something narrow and it's brutal, but with the right footwear it's not something I have to worry about.

Where did you get the orthotics done, and who make them?
I live in Tahoe, and i
would like a pair.
Thank you

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[JRainey]

Topo Athletic has a similar design philosophy. I bought a pair of Runventure 2s last fall and have been pretty happy with them.

I just saw those for the first time last week, I'll check them out.

[JRainey]

Where did you get the orthotics done, and who make them?
I live in Tahoe, and i
would like a pair.
Thank you

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I live in Austria so they were done in our little town boot shop. I'm out of town for the next week, but I can ask them what the technology is called when I get back.

[rod9301]

I live in Austria so they were done in our little town boot shop. I'm out of town for the next week, but I can ask them what the technology is called when I get back.

Thanks, really appreciate it.

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[old goat]

I've probably said this before but re: wider ski boots--they make the problem worse if you have a sloppy fit and compensate by cranking down the lower buckles. A snug hind foot fit that lets you keep the lower buckles just snug enough so that they don't pop open is best. I have longstanding plantar neuromas; a medium width forefoot; and skinny heels, ankles, and calves, and a low instep and I'm comfortable in a 98mm last boot with multiple insole shims with no slop in the hind foot.

[detrusor]

Your insole needs to have a “button” behind the metatarsal heads to keep the bones spread off the nerve. Wider won’t make any difference without that.

I have them in ski boots, biking shoes and for regular shoes. 4th toe numbness is likely permanent for me but no pain since.


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