Fellowship of the Morton's Toe

You can try a metatarsal lift/pad placed precisely in some huaraches. Nyal created a toe orthotic that he could run with somewhat successfully, last I heard. If you search for his posts in this thread on the "toe orthotic," you might get some helpful tips on how to make one.

I am wondering if the Free Heel Running Pad company could sew in a toe lift at the correct location, if that would help. I may ask them. It would be a customization, but it may be something neat to try. I'll let you guys know.
 
Wow - have just read through this entire thread. Fascinating. The second toe on my right foot is distinctly longer than the big toe and on the left foot the second toe is shorter than the big toe. I gotta admit I am having a problem identifying whether it is an MT or not. Is it rare or not to have only one foot with the second toe longer? Ironically it is my left foot second met that gave me problems when I first started BF running. I stopped BF for a while because it felt like I had stone under that toe. No longer have that feeling but it seems it is always that one catch on stone occasionalyl. Oh yeah - Im left handed as well - and a correlation was noted between MT and left handedness in one of the articles.
 
I've heard/read of others having only one toe with MT. I don't know what percentage of us MTs have it that way though.
 
Tj, what i just learned is that all first mets should be shorter and thicker than the second met. it is supposed to take the primary amount of load from the body. with shoes we know it doesn't. that's why so many second/third met fractures. they aren't designed to handle the load.
 
No, sir, Mike. The first metty should be longer than the second metty. Check out this site and this illustration from that site. (I just grabbed the first thing that came up in my search engine; not a site I visit, although, I must say, the surgery to fix MT seems interesting.) http://www.ptiorthotics.com/mortons-toe.html

Description

A Morton's Toe or Morton's Syndrome is a shortened first metatarsal shaft which causes excessive weight to be borne by the second metatarsal shaft.

Illustration Of Condition

mortons-toe.png
 
But of course. Welcome, you poor, miserable thing. :)
 
Now, if you've got MT, then you're miserable like the rest of us. Teasing, of course.
 
Now, see there? The first step in recovery is admitting you have a problem. Now that you have done that, we can support you. HEE!
 
Hi O'Toole, I hope you don't mind, but I added the 2013 donors footprint to your signature. I didn't hear back from you in email, but I knew I could find you here. :) Thanks again for your donation.
 
My 2nd met. is really sore just past the ball of my foot....could this be a symptom? I'm aware that I have a very mild case, but this is the first time I've been having this type of toe pain.

can hurt just to walk sometimes
 
You mean, just past the ball of your foot, near your arch?
 
This could be a symptom. Do you have a callus building there?

People with MT are putting more pressure on the second toe (the weaker, skinnier toe) at take off which could lead to pain and stress fractures, so you've got to be careful. We are supposed to be toeing off from the big toe which is the stronger, thicker toes.