Mortons Neuroma?

[Hellgate]

Week 9.

I'm almost back to "normal." Ask my 2 ex-wives about that...

Normal in that I am noticing my foot much less. Pins and needles, throbbing are several weeks behind me. I'm not favoring my right foot, leg. It doesn't wake me up in the middle of the night. And, I ran with my daughter about 100m!

The bad? From elevating my leg so much I've strained/ pulled the nerve that runs about the outside of the ankle bone. Freaking sharp pain when I rotate my foot to the inside. I've had the condition for about 2 weeks.

The good? I've comfortably worn shoes I've not worn in 9 months.

So far, so good. I just need the ankle nerve to mellow a bit.

Oh, cycling has been great. My fitness needs some work, but it's coming back.

[Hellgate]

Well, as of tonight I'm out of my orthopedic Lakes and back in my Sidi Wires, albeit for an easy 45 minute ride. The foot felt very good. I need to leave the forefoot loose. Too tight and I can get an odd full, pressure feeling at the point of surgery.

With C19 I've only worn flip-flops, the Lakes, and a pair of On running shoes. Some day I'll buy a proper pair of new dress shoes.

Overall I'm still happy with the results and figure I have another 4 months of healing in front of me.

[soulspinner]

Cool. Nice to know there is hope....

[djg21]

Originally Posted by oldguy00

Thanks. You guys would get a good laugh if you saw my collection of off the shelf, and custom, orthotics. And also got custom cycling shoes recently which haven't worked out so well, didn't fit right.
That said, my main purpose for getting orthotics in the past was to help with pain on the outside of my foot, which my podiatrist says is the styloid process....(used to think those were only on the wrists!).

Wallymann - what do you do for stretching and massaging of the nerve?

What custom cycling shoes did you go with?

[djg21]

Originally Posted by oldguy00

Thanks. Yeah I'm on speedplay too and notice more than ever my feet wanting to pull to the outside, rocking, and find my toes wanting to 'grab'. The inside of my leg, along the post tib tendon area above the ankle actually starts to get tired.
I've tried Shimano and like the larger platform, but I didn't like the float, even on their 6 degree cleats, compared to what I was used to with speedplay.
So I just took delivery of a pair of Look Keo Carbons, and a set of their 9 degree cleats. Haven't tried them yet, but will soon.

If you were using Speedplay X pedals, the cleat retention clips tend to wear on the outside and develop flat spots. This would cause some up and down play and would make it feel like you were pedaling on the outside edge of the pedal. The Zeros were an improvement as they had flat clips.

I’ve had a Morton’s issue develop from wearing work/dress shoes that were too narrow. I learned my lesson and now purchase only good shoes that are wide enough to accommodate my feet. The problem is that once you have Morton’s, it doesn’t ever fully go away. I still get pins and needles in my toes in the evening, but it’s isn’t get worse. I use Lamson Cycling Shoes, and I’ve used Don’s shoes for years. His insoles certainly help (I use the in all of my casual shoes and in my telemark ski boots), and having cycling shoes that he built to fit my feet certainly helps.

[srider]

I've had a neuroma in both feet for several years, like others it was caused by wearing too restrictive shoes (super tight rock climbing shoes when I was younger..).

Going to a wider toe box shoe like Lake is a good idea, and I've recently picked up a couple pairs of Shimano's wide shoes too that are equally comfortable.

IMHO, wider shoes, met pads, orthotics, etc all help, but wearing toe spacers like Correct Toes or Yoga Toes as much as possible has been far more beneficial. Over time they help realign and spread the metatarsals so that the neuroma no longer being compressed or irritated.

By wearing Yoga Toes when off the bike, and wide shoes when I'm riding, I've (knock on wood) been able to avoid surgery and almost completely eliminate the neuroma pain/numbness/etc.

Hope this helps and good luck!

[XXtwindad]

Originally Posted by Hellgate

Week 9.

I'm almost back to "normal." Ask my 2 ex-wives about that...

Normal in that I am noticing my foot much less. Pins and needles, throbbing are several weeks behind me. I'm not favoring my right foot, leg. It doesn't wake me up in the middle of the night. And, I ran with my daughter about 100m!

The bad? From elevating my leg so much I've strained/ pulled the nerve that runs about the outside of the ankle bone. Freaking sharp pain when I rotate my foot to the inside. I've had the condition for about 2 weeks.

The good? I've comfortably worn shoes I've not worn in 9 months.

So far, so good. I just need the ankle nerve to mellow a bit.

Oh, cycling has been great. My fitness needs some work, but it's coming back.

Glad you're on the mend, Pete. I was going to ask what the factors were that contributed to the MN, but maybe srider (below) answered it. Do you know how this differs from Plantar Fascitis? I've dealt with that over the years (primarily due to flat feet) and stretching my calves (gastroc and soleus muscles) out daily helps tremendously.

[Hellgate]

Josh I'm not experienced PF, is sounds terrible, and similar pain wise to a MN.

From the reading on WebMD it sounds like and age and activity related injury.

Have you seen a doctor about it?

[XXtwindad]

Originally Posted by Hellgate

Josh I'm not experienced PF, is sounds terrible, and similar pain wise to a MN.

From the reading on WebMD it sounds like and age and activity related injury.

Have you seen a doctor about it?

My partner’s cousin is a podiatrist. Several years ago (at a family event) I showed him my feet and the first thing he asked was “what happened to your arches?”

I had it really bad about a year ago. It was caused by wearing shoes with not enough support and cranking up the resistance on the exercise bike. Stretching my calves (which tend to be really tight) helped a lot.

Also: resistance exercises for the small muscles in the feet, such as balancing on one foot. I started mixing in more walking with the cycling, and that helped, too.

[John H.]

I have had neuromas removed from both of my feet. They also removed cysts that had developed in that area an re-shaped the sesamoid bones.
It worked great on my right foot- but the issues returned on my left foot.

I have always been an orthotics wearer and in that period I tried all types of shoes including custom- none fixed my issue.

As a hail mary after the 2nd surgery on my left foot, I tried an old pair of Bont shoes that I had lying around. They totally fixed the issue.
I believe it was a combination of the width and toe box shape, but also the stiffness, bathtub shape and how well that the Bont shoe holds the orthotics.

[TimAZ]

Originally Posted by srider

I've had a neuroma in both feet for several years, like others it was caused by wearing too restrictive shoes (super tight rock climbing shoes when I was younger..).

Going to a wider toe box shoe like Lake is a good idea, and I've recently picked up a couple pairs of Shimano's wide shoes too that are equally comfortable.

IMHO, wider shoes, met pads, orthotics, etc all help, but wearing toe spacers like Correct Toes or Yoga Toes as much as possible has been far more beneficial. Over time they help realign and spread the metatarsals so that the neuroma no longer being compressed or irritated.

By wearing Yoga Toes when off the bike, and wide shoes when I'm riding, I've (knock on wood) been able to avoid surgery and almost completely eliminate the neuroma pain/numbness/etc.

Hope this helps and good luck!

Yoga Toes have been purchased. I've been wondering about these. Thanks for the nod.

Tim

[Flying Pigeon]

Funny for me it was another thread on PL from 2019 that was my education right when I picked up Morton's Neuroma. (I'm blaming a couple weeks of sleeping in full length compression socks, and maybe tight socks all day in running shoes). If only I could go back and tell myself never compress my feet. I think toe socks are great for keeping a natural splay but it's way too late for that now.

Foam spreaders are the salvation for me -- cheap drugstore specials, 2 of them between my smallest toes. Done that for almost 2 yrs now. I notice if they slip out because the tingly pain returns. I can't really go barefoot because it's too much for my metatarsals, nor can I do extra jarring things like running downhill on pavement. But otherwise have been able to manage it with the spreaders 24/7. Luckily wide Shimano RX8 shoes are fine all day, while climbing shoes seem like a never.

Anyone who investigates this procedure with ultrasound + alcohol injection please report back.

[Sktr62]

Originally Posted by Flying Pigeon

Funny for me it was another thread on PL from 2019 that was my education right when I picked up Morton's Neuroma. (I'm blaming a couple weeks of sleeping in full length compression socks, and maybe tight socks all day in running shoes). If only I could go back and tell myself never compress my feet. I think toe socks are great for keeping a natural splay but it's way too late for that now.

Foam spreaders are the salvation for me -- cheap drugstore specials, 2 of them between my smallest toes. Done that for almost 2 yrs now. I notice if they slip out because the tingly pain returns. I can't really go barefoot because it's too much for my metatarsals, nor can I do extra jarring things like running downhill on pavement. But otherwise have been able to manage it with the spreaders 24/7. Luckily wide Shimano RX8 shoes are fine all day, while climbing shoes seem like a never.

Anyone who investigates this procedure with ultrasound + alcohol injection please report back.

Had alcohol injections in both feet. Plus cortisone shots. Helped initially but then Right foot is still chronic. MN is my nemesis. Just comes and goes, stretching, massaging w/tennis balls, etc seems to help. NSADs & 8hr Tylenol help when it's really bad. My symptoms range from Plantar Fasciitis in forefoot, metarsalgia, MN, mystery scar tissue. I have foot length issues, developing hammer toes, so my overall state is most likely due to decades of wrong size shoes. My MN are very deep, 2-3, and very hard to image. I mostly just try to ignore them. And I avoid cycling on hot days.

[mcteague]

My podiatrist has suggested ligament release in lieu of total excising of the nerve. This seems to be the way forward for many people. While still surgery, it is far less extreme than having the nerve cluster cut out.

All the more basic stuff (cortisone, orthotics, etc) have done nothing for me. Still have not decided on having it done but am leaning in that direction.

https://advances.massgeneral.org/ort...l.aspx?id=1811

Tim