Greetings fellow victims of throwback genetics. If you are one of ten people in this world, your feet have retained an earlier version of the human foot and your 1st metatarsal is shorter than the 2nd. Although one may be tempted to think that a leftover foot thumb would be cool to have, that same one is very wrong.
Morton's Toe presents unique challenges to the barefoot runner, and those challenges are, well, challenging. Here is the synopsis of your special features, O bearer of recurrent genetics.
1. 1st metatarsal is shortened to the extent that the big toe appears to be shorter than the 2nd toe.
2. The 1st metatarsal is supposed to be the primary support during running and walking, but our reduced metty forces the 2nd metty to assume the load. This is the cause of a myriad of problems.
What are symptoms of MT while transitioning to BFR?
1. Callouses forming under the 2nd metty head.
2. Pain or tendernous localized in the same region.
3. A feeling of pressure or that there is a big fat rock in your foot, again under the 2nd metty head.
4. A strong tendency to injure or strain the 2nd through 5th metties, including stress fractures and TOFP in that part of the foot.
5. A tendency for you peroneal tendons on the inside ankles to get tedonitis (strains) or tendonosis (tears).
6. Asphalt owns your ass.
Symptoms can range from very mild to quite severe, but there are treatments and methods. Here are my suggestions.
1. Learn your limits. Do NOT push through any pain or any discomfort. This condition makes you MORE likely to be injured during the transition than our 'normal' BF siblings. You WILL NOT get adequate warning before a fracture or strain. Prevention is the only medicine.
2. Learn your surface limits. As horrible as it may sound, some surfaces may be beyond you. Asphalt, concrete, or other very smooth flat places may not be possible truly barefoot. What's worse, you won't learn your limits in this regard until you have experimented for a very long time. (Remember, asphalt and concrete are not natural surfaces and require 'unnatural' skills or abilities) Refer to number 1 as you try things out.
3. Make a barefoot orthotic or orthotics if you need. Making a Morton's Toe patch will fix many, many problems in form, prevent MT flare ups, and most importantly prevent injuries, bad injuries.
4. Relaxing is KEY. Even more than the Norms, we have to run will limp noodle legs. We must also fully load our heels and allow our tendons to bounce.
5. Form may help, specifically higher turnover and refraining from rolling back forward to the forefoot. However, it is important to stick with what feels best. THERE IS NO CORRECT ANSWER.
Good luck and welcome to the club,
Nyal Davidsson
President, CEO, Pretty Boy
FMT, AS.
Members:
Nyal the Danko Worshipper
T. J. the Great
C. Beth Run the Flexible
Silly C the Confident
Eric the Red
Norm Deplume the Not a Guy
Vibramchic the Lilly Footed
Lownox the Whiner
Danjo the Whipper of Snapper
Wayne the Cantankerous Texan
Sherry Lewisdatter
Paleo the Primitivist
Hrefna of Abban
Evadenyaw the Kiwi
Gkikas the Galloping Greek
Lomad the Nomad
Dave the Flatlander
Morton's Toe presents unique challenges to the barefoot runner, and those challenges are, well, challenging. Here is the synopsis of your special features, O bearer of recurrent genetics.
1. 1st metatarsal is shortened to the extent that the big toe appears to be shorter than the 2nd toe.
2. The 1st metatarsal is supposed to be the primary support during running and walking, but our reduced metty forces the 2nd metty to assume the load. This is the cause of a myriad of problems.
What are symptoms of MT while transitioning to BFR?
1. Callouses forming under the 2nd metty head.
2. Pain or tendernous localized in the same region.
3. A feeling of pressure or that there is a big fat rock in your foot, again under the 2nd metty head.
4. A strong tendency to injure or strain the 2nd through 5th metties, including stress fractures and TOFP in that part of the foot.
5. A tendency for you peroneal tendons on the inside ankles to get tedonitis (strains) or tendonosis (tears).
6. Asphalt owns your ass.
Symptoms can range from very mild to quite severe, but there are treatments and methods. Here are my suggestions.
1. Learn your limits. Do NOT push through any pain or any discomfort. This condition makes you MORE likely to be injured during the transition than our 'normal' BF siblings. You WILL NOT get adequate warning before a fracture or strain. Prevention is the only medicine.
2. Learn your surface limits. As horrible as it may sound, some surfaces may be beyond you. Asphalt, concrete, or other very smooth flat places may not be possible truly barefoot. What's worse, you won't learn your limits in this regard until you have experimented for a very long time. (Remember, asphalt and concrete are not natural surfaces and require 'unnatural' skills or abilities) Refer to number 1 as you try things out.
3. Make a barefoot orthotic or orthotics if you need. Making a Morton's Toe patch will fix many, many problems in form, prevent MT flare ups, and most importantly prevent injuries, bad injuries.
4. Relaxing is KEY. Even more than the Norms, we have to run will limp noodle legs. We must also fully load our heels and allow our tendons to bounce.
5. Form may help, specifically higher turnover and refraining from rolling back forward to the forefoot. However, it is important to stick with what feels best. THERE IS NO CORRECT ANSWER.
Good luck and welcome to the club,
Nyal Davidsson
President, CEO, Pretty Boy
FMT, AS.
Members:
Nyal the Danko Worshipper
T. J. the Great
C. Beth Run the Flexible
Silly C the Confident
Eric the Red
Norm Deplume the Not a Guy
Vibramchic the Lilly Footed
Lownox the Whiner
Danjo the Whipper of Snapper
Wayne the Cantankerous Texan
Sherry Lewisdatter
Paleo the Primitivist
Hrefna of Abban
Evadenyaw the Kiwi
Gkikas the Galloping Greek
Lomad the Nomad
Dave the Flatlander