Hi everyone.
Thanks so so much for your feedback. Its very motivating to think I'll be able to share my experience and find alternatives to try and overcome it and/or share opinions about it.
TJ: following your advice, I'll switch to MN Talk, but before copy and pasting it there, let me followup here for those who have read up to here and may be interested in the thread.
Hope the quote works. First time I've done that...
The pain came up wearing vivobarefoot stealth. Since then I have been even more aware of the importance of wearing wide shoes (threw some away, widened others in a shoe makers shop, ...), and the truth is I'm not 100% sure right now that my Stealths aren't too small for me. I do notice pressure on the 4th toe, more than other shoes I have that aren't minimalistic. So maybe the combination of a more metatarsal oriented posture, plus a "less protector shoe" (yes, I know, that may sound streamline, but I will explain what I mean later, see if you agree) and the fact the shoe may be 1 size too small all contributed to the neuroma appearing. Maybe.
In between the first pain and dropping running I tried to run 100% barefoot. I did 6k with no pain and was out of this world. Next day I woke up and I could hardly stand up
Maybe both. But for me the most important conclusion I deduce from this comment is "specialization". To detect the neuroma, i went to the doctor asking for a traumatologist specialized in feet. Then, in parallel, I went to this friend podiatrist who also seemed to be specialized in sports. But I have'n searched for help from a local doctor specifically specialized in MN. That will most probably the next call I'll make to solve this issue if needed.
Question: anybody round here now a MN specialized doctor near Barcelona, Spain?
I will try and get a more specific answer on thursday, next visit.
Linking this comment with your conclusion, you must know that from a conceptual point of view, I can't agree more. Plus, since I discovered the barefoot running world I have been totally convinced by all the arguments that defend it. It had produced a mental U-Turn in me, I was really enjoying myself and even broadcasting to all running friends.
BUT, MN came along, and as explained I had to define a strategy, and, right or wrong, I have gone for the insoles. Am I totally conviced? No. Why? Because I can't believe it when the podiatrist says the effect of the insoles is going to be the same no matter what shoes I wear. I argued that I would believe him if he tried to convince me to stick to 1 type of shoe (with 1 inclination), but to imagine the insole is going to have the same effect wearing vivo's or wearing Asics doesn't convince me at all.
BUT, you know the problem? The fact is that since I've been with the insoles, the pain has practically gone away, and these days I've been able to run 6 times without pain. Only up to 2K, but I couldn't do that before. If I listen to my body right now, I have the sensation the "traditional shoes" (which aren't tight on my toes in this case, as others may be) give me a slight extra sensation of protection that makes me feel more confident than the vivo's. At least for running. If above that there is no pain so I can imagine progressing towards running again and increasing the distance, today I think it may work.
The first day the pain comes back, obviously I'll have to redefine the strategy (and probably throw the insoles away, go barefoot again, and explore one of the other different suggestions around), but until then, and for now (fingers crossed) I'm acheiving what I wanted: to start running again!!
What do you think?
I'll keep you updated...
Thanks so so much for your feedback. Its very motivating to think I'll be able to share my experience and find alternatives to try and overcome it and/or share opinions about it.
TJ: following your advice, I'll switch to MN Talk, but before copy and pasting it there, let me followup here for those who have read up to here and may be interested in the thread.
Were you true barefoot or shod (Vivos or other) when you first experienced the pain in your left foot/toes?
Hope the quote works. First time I've done that...
The pain came up wearing vivobarefoot stealth. Since then I have been even more aware of the importance of wearing wide shoes (threw some away, widened others in a shoe makers shop, ...), and the truth is I'm not 100% sure right now that my Stealths aren't too small for me. I do notice pressure on the 4th toe, more than other shoes I have that aren't minimalistic. So maybe the combination of a more metatarsal oriented posture, plus a "less protector shoe" (yes, I know, that may sound streamline, but I will explain what I mean later, see if you agree) and the fact the shoe may be 1 size too small all contributed to the neuroma appearing. Maybe.
In between the first pain and dropping running I tried to run 100% barefoot. I did 6k with no pain and was out of this world. Next day I woke up and I could hardly stand up
He suggested that you do the legwork and find other solutions instead of his looking? He's either lazy or uneducated about MN.
Maybe both. But for me the most important conclusion I deduce from this comment is "specialization". To detect the neuroma, i went to the doctor asking for a traumatologist specialized in feet. Then, in parallel, I went to this friend podiatrist who also seemed to be specialized in sports. But I have'n searched for help from a local doctor specifically specialized in MN. That will most probably the next call I'll make to solve this issue if needed.
Question: anybody round here now a MN specialized doctor near Barcelona, Spain?
What sort of biomechanical issue did he say you have exactly?
I will try and get a more specific answer on thursday, next visit.
It seems they always say 80/20 for any treatment.
That is some of the worse advice anyone could give. After I developed MN, I found I was able to run much further barefoot (real, true), 17 miles, before the MN pain would set in. I could only get not even a mile with shoes on. Traditional running shoes are among those types of shoes that are the worse for us to wear. It sounds like he is recommending you run on your heels and avoid your forefoot. Heelstriking, shod or barefoot, is not a good idea for anyone.
Linking this comment with your conclusion, you must know that from a conceptual point of view, I can't agree more. Plus, since I discovered the barefoot running world I have been totally convinced by all the arguments that defend it. It had produced a mental U-Turn in me, I was really enjoying myself and even broadcasting to all running friends.
BUT, MN came along, and as explained I had to define a strategy, and, right or wrong, I have gone for the insoles. Am I totally conviced? No. Why? Because I can't believe it when the podiatrist says the effect of the insoles is going to be the same no matter what shoes I wear. I argued that I would believe him if he tried to convince me to stick to 1 type of shoe (with 1 inclination), but to imagine the insole is going to have the same effect wearing vivo's or wearing Asics doesn't convince me at all.
BUT, you know the problem? The fact is that since I've been with the insoles, the pain has practically gone away, and these days I've been able to run 6 times without pain. Only up to 2K, but I couldn't do that before. If I listen to my body right now, I have the sensation the "traditional shoes" (which aren't tight on my toes in this case, as others may be) give me a slight extra sensation of protection that makes me feel more confident than the vivo's. At least for running. If above that there is no pain so I can imagine progressing towards running again and increasing the distance, today I think it may work.
The first day the pain comes back, obviously I'll have to redefine the strategy (and probably throw the insoles away, go barefoot again, and explore one of the other different suggestions around), but until then, and for now (fingers crossed) I'm acheiving what I wanted: to start running again!!
What do you think?
I'll keep you updated...