The mysterious case of TOFP and the missing metatarsal.

[Lukeor]

Hi…

At 7/8 weeks Im a newbie, but have been running in shoes/torture devices for years.

I saved my pennies and finally was able to get myself some VFF's at the end of December. After noticing that running barefoot at my old Dojo had nearly no impact on my knees.

It was the happy ending Hollywood dreams of…untill:

I tried to coax my feet to keep up with my legs. I had a few days of TOFP, but then it went away, and the next run I anihalated my left foot. It started out the whole of the 3rd metatarsal, and some pain in the 2nd. Since then I've been tiger balming/massaging and stretching it.

What was worrying me, was that on the top of my foot the 2nd metatarsal was really prominent (and tender) to the touch , but I have serious difficulty finding the 3rd metatarsal. I gave it 10 days to heal and had little pain, even after walking a few miles. So decided to bash out a few miles this morning, and in short, it was a stupid idea. I was smart enough to stop jogging when my the pain started just after mile 1. However, it now hurts to bare weight.

I went through a fair bit of pain in my right foot, while it started to settle, and my hammer toes started straightening (which they haven't done yet on my left) but it can't remember having such difficulty finding a metatarsal.

My guess is that I've dropped a metatarsal - or - that as someone with high arches, maybe my left foot needs more time to flatten laterally.

Has anyone else experienced this? Does anyone have any idea what it could be? Most importantly is it doctor o'clock? - because then I need to start saving…

Thanks,

Luke

 

[Barefoot TJ]

Man, Luke! I've never heard

Man, Luke! I've never heard of not being able to feel your metty bone before. Are you saying you can't feel it at all? Do you suppose you have a stress fracture or fracture? Is there any swelling? Is there any bruising?

Lots of people have problems running in VFFs (and other similar minimalist footwear, normally due to the TMTS factor = that is having something on their feet that gives them the false impression that they can do more than they are really ready for). You may have fallen victim as well. That's the main reason why we recommend people ditch the shoes completely and learn how to run with proper barefoot/natural running form. You are more apt to listen to and be in tune with your body and feet when you can receive feedback from your soles. Mostly, your barefeet will not let you go as far or as fast as you once did, at least not until you have learned to run with proper form. Then, once you have a good solid base on natural running form, you will start to add more distance and speed, and if needed for certain conditions, minimalist footwear. Since you will have learned how to run with good form first, you will be less likely to get injured.

 

[Lukeor]

Hi TJ,Thanks for taking the

Hi TJ,

Thanks for taking the time.

I haven't had any bruising – I went out and bought some Ibuprofen gel this morning and it seems to have made little difference size wise, so if it is swelling (I'm not sure – to the touch it feels that kind of tender, but looks no different), then thats had little effect. However, if it had swollen around a stress fracture that would make sense; but I'm starting to think it might be a dropped met, as the 2nd is has pushed up a fair bit. The only problem with that is that I the 3rd met head doesn't seem to have dropped any – I can barely feel that through bottom of my foot either.

I've been recommended someone to see by an osteopath friend. On the off chance of a stress fracture though I think it might work better if I go somewhere with x-ray vision!

I see it as no coincidence this is all happening to the only toe that stubbornly remains 'hammered'.

Thanks about the actually barefoot first advice – that sounds very sensible. It is time to man up and take on the streets of london skin to concrete. No more wimping out!

As a matter of interest how long did it take yourself to get over the 2/3 mile barefoot marker? That used to be the length it took to get my rhythm.

Thanks,

Luke

 

[Barefoot TJ]

So when you compare your

So when you compare your metties on one foot to the other, the one is different?

My first barefoot run was over a mile, and I never went below that, so it's hard to answer your question. It's safest for most people to run barefoot only 1/4 - 1/2 mile at a time, ditching the shoes completely and working your way up in small increments at a time. The problem is most people don't have the patience to start over from scratch and build up slowly. But this is truly the best and safest way to go about it.

Doc said he's respond to your post on Tuesday, tomorrow.

 

[ajb422]

Try icing it as well. I've

Try icing it as well. I've recently had some massive TOFP due to tendonitis issues and the best thing I found is alternating between an ice bath and a warm bath. About 5 minutes between each switch for about 20-30 minutes total at a time. Its worked miracles.

Also careful with the NSAIDS if you think its a stress fracture, some research suggests that they could hurt bone healing. Its not overly fantastic evidence, but perhaps not worth the risk if you relly think its bone. Calcium and iceing seem to be the best bone healing suggestions I've found.

 

[Lukeor]

Hi,So I chatted with an

Hi,

So I chatted with an osteopath friend, who seemed pretty convinced it's a stress fracture.

Also, not sure if this is what your talking about with the NSAIDS, my foot only started to swell when i stopped using ibuprofen gel. Which just seems odd to me. Been reaching for the tiger balm; that seems to heal all.

It might be interesting to note she suggested that if I have a bad hammer toe, it would be flexing the joint back; because (jaw drops - was I really an idiot enough to try this myself?) when i flex the 3rd toe down, through the swelling I can *just* feel the met.

Well that's closure; at least by the time it heals properly it'll be a bit milder for me to run truly barefoot, and avoid this again!

Thanks

Luke

 

[Nyal]

I dread asking the question,

I dread asking the question, but is your 2nd toe longer than the 1st?

 

[Lukeor]

Hi Nyal,Nope, I'm fortunate

Hi Nyal,

Nope, I'm fortunate like that.

Just a nasty case of keen-itis.



Luke

 

[Barefoot TJ]

Doc han't responded.  I'll

Doc han't responded. I'll send him a friendly nudge.

 

[Barefoot TJ]

Doc responded...Dear

Doc responded...

Dear Luke,

This sounds like a stress fracture or bone bruise of the metatarsal. I would recommend resting, and if it persists, get an x-ray.

MN

 

[Garrett Dunn]

Hey lukeor. You pretty much

Hey lukeor. You pretty much described my foot about a month and a half ago, exactly. I chalked it up to a stress fracture and rested it completely until last week. I would recommend R.I.C.E (rest, ice, compression, and elevation) and a whole lot of patients. The big knuckle is still there and the third met is still very low, but there's no pain today after a six mile bf run. I was also wearing vff at time of injury and wont be wearing them again. Now im bf our in some homemade sandles, much more feedback.

 

[Barefoot TJ]

Good deal, Garrett.  Welcome!

Good deal, Garrett. Welcome!

 

[Lukeor]

Hi Garret, Thanks man,

Hi Garret,



Thanks man, feeling like an idiot for going straight into VFF's in the first place. I reckon their time will come though.



Its encouraging to hear you got over it so quickly. I swear the pain goes completely sometimes; like this morning when I thought 'meh lets get the KB's out'; the extra 45 Kg over my head soon bought the ouch back.



Sorry to hear you had the same thing, but from from a selfish point of view, its good to know I'm not a freak, and it'll heal up. I wonder why we had such an odd reaction to a stress fracture? The mystery lives on…



Really happy to hear you're back into it though.



From someone who's new himself; welcome.



Luke

 

[Lukeor]

Hi, Just to give everyone a

Hi,



Just to give everyone a happy ending. Last week I started wearing Vibrams just to walk about in, to/at work etc. I found that it didn't cause me any pain, except under the balls of my feet, which would only occour after walking 3-4 miles.



One night recently I got caught up in an 'accidental' pub crawl. So from 8.30am till about 2.am I was in Vibrams (now stained with congac), and pain free untill about 1am.



I completed a half mile with ease, and a minor blister; properly barefoot.



Now, after a mile this morning (under 6 minutes - I really think all the walking has massively improved my form), feet covered in plasters, I can see that going properly barefoot will definately save me from TMTS.



So, lots of rest, elevation and some rehabilitation seem to pay off. I say rest, I mean cycling… : )