I have Morton's toe … but not Morton's Neuroma. I have read three books that address the issue of Morton's toe (Natural Running by Danny Abshire, The Trigger Point Therapy Workbook by Clair Davies, and Why You Really Hurt by Dr. Burton Schuler). Each of these three books recommends the same treatment for Morton's toe, which is the same treatment prescribed by the doctor who discovered the foot condition — Dr. Dudley Morton who wrote a publication on it in 1924. Dr Morton instructed that the treatment was to elevate the first metatarsal bone (along the big toe) by placing a small pad underneath it. This pad is now commonly known as a Morton's extension pad — apparently it works by shifting the majority of the weight from walking off the "longer" toes and back onto the big toe bone wear it belongs.
Morton's toe can cause fallen arches and pronating (weak) ankles. I know, because I've suffered from these symptoms for 31 years. Four months ago, I stopped wearing my cushy tennis shoes and I even stopped wearing my expensive $300 custom-made arch supports. Instead I opted for low-profile shoes (martial arts shoes called "Feiyue), and I wore a Morton's extension pad that I made from Dr. Scholl's Molefoam Padding. These shoes felt supportive but would soon tire out my feet. So I wore them only 2 hours a day the first week, then 3 hours again the second week … until after 6 weeks my feet were strong enough to wear them all day. I am amazed but I can honestly say that within 6 weeks my arches completely lifted up and my ankles became very strong.
I've read that it's estimated that 20% of the population have Morton's toe and that, though it appears to cause pain for the majority of these individuals, it does not cause much problems for persons who have very strong feet … anyone who has been running for a long time … or persons in Africa and India who have naturally strong feet from walking barefoot or in flat sandals their whole lives. Unfortunately, for the majority of us who have been walking in cushy shoes most of our lives, Morton's toe can become a debilitating condition, causing our feet to become weak and fragile. I've read the most people start feeling the painful effects of Morton's toe by the age of 30 … and it just gets worse as time goes by.
My sister is a physical therapist, and she sees people regularly with knee, hip, back, and neck problems whose problems originate in their feet … caused by Morton's toe (as well as other contributing factors such as lack of exercise and prolonged sitting at one's desk or hunched over a computer). She believes that much more than 20% of the population have Morton's toe. The majority of her patients have Morton's toe, and she recommends a Morton's extension pad to them. The results are always beneficial. Sometimes they need a pad in only one shoe (some people have Morton's toe only on one foot), other times they need a thicker pad on one shoe and a thinner pad on another shoe (some people have a more pronounced Morton's toe on one foot more than the other), sometimes they need double-thick pads (if they have very weak feet), and other times they need only thin pads (if they have stronger feet). Either way, the results are immediately positive for all of her patients.
I myself now wear only two types of shoes: martial arts shoes (Feiyue Shoes) and "Invisibles Shoes" Running Sandals (6mm Contact) and they help my feet continue to get stronger every day. I no longer have foot problems (fallen arches and pronating ankles). I attribute my health to the Egoscue Method (yoga based method) of physical therapy, which corrected most of my postural imbalances within two months (i.e. pain throughout my body caused by a lower right shoulder, forward head, elevated and torqued right hip, sway back, everting feet and knees, fallen arches, and pronating ankles. To correct these postural imbalances I just bought a book (The Egoscue Method of Health Through Motion), performed the "Condition 2" exercises every morning, and all my physical pain issues corrected themselves in 2 months … except for my fallen arches and pronating ankles, which remained although I must admit that these foot issues had dramatically improved.
I give credit to the Egoscue Method of physical therapy for correcting my postural imbalances, but I also give credit to "Invisible Shoes" Running Sandals and Feiyue Shoes for helping my feet and leg muscles (calves, arches, ankles, and achilles tendon) get stronger every day. I wear Morton's extension pads in both of these shoes. I made a Morton's Extension Pad for my pair of Invisible shoes by using the same material as the Invisible Shoes (I bought an extra pair of Invisible shoes and cut out two rectangles (1 1/4 X 6 inches) from the rubber material and cut off the nubs on the bottom of the rubber material with an Exacto knife and then glued them to each Invisible Shoe with Shoe Goo).
I appreciate all the people that have posted on "The Fellowship of the Morton's Toe" forum. I wish I had read these posts a year ago. Instead it took me months of researching into the cause of all the different pains in my body before I realized that it might all have originated at my feet. I know that my post isn't sharing anything new or saying something that hasn't already been said by somebody else. I just wanted to share my own story around the issue of Morton's toe. I'm sorry for leaving such a long first post, but I just want to share what has helped me ... in case it might help someone else. And I'm excited to be able to begin running again at the age of 50, after ending 31 years of pain.
Fellow Morton's toe survivor,
Charly Norman