sore toes

[Barfuß Chelsea]

My quick history:

I've only been barefooting for a month and am only up to 1.5 miles, three days a week. 80% of the rest of my day is spent bf as well, however, and the rest of the time I'm in UGGs (moderately flexible sole, but no extra support, either).



On the days that I run, I usually have soreness in the joints of my toes, especially those connecting to the ball of my foot. I notice it every time I start moving again after I've been sitting for a while, but as long as I keep moving, it generally goes away after a few minutes. The toes aren't quite as sore the day after a run, but I still tend to notice tightness several times throughout the day. Is this normal, or is it maybe a sign for TMTS?

 

[Abide]

Yep that is completely

Yep that is completely normal, it is your feet adjusting to the new demands. If you went and ran sprints, then sat down for a couple of hours you would really feel it once you stood back up. Same thing is happening here.

 

[Barefoot Dama]

Yea, they are call growing

Yea, they are call growing pains.

Sounds like you are doing very well in your transition.

 

[Barefoot TJ]

The pain is either from your

The pain is either from your toes adapting to the new demands, perhaps building muscles and strenghtening tendons, or you could have arthritis. An x-ray will tell you for sure.

 

[Barfuß Chelsea]

Thanks guys! Good to hear!

Thanks guys! Good to hear!

I'm pretty sure it's not arthritis, as I'm only 26 and the soreness only developed after I started barefooting.

It's funny, a while back someone asked me if I get sore from training "so much" (for marathons), and I honestly replied, "No, not really." The next day, however, I realized that I DID have sore muscles. The more I started paying attention, the more I realized that I had sore muscles to varying degrees four or five days a week, but it had just become so "normal" that I didn't notice it or let it bother me. Sore feet, on the other hand, is something I've not ever really had, so I guess maybe I'm just noticing it more than the other stuff because of it's newness.

Any word on how long it typically lasts, or is it just something I'll eventually get used to like sore quads?

 

[Abide]

Well, after a year I still

Well, after a year I still get sore... It'll probably last until you stop pushing the envelope.

 

[Barefoot TJ]

I don't recall having sore

I don't recall having sore toes when I was transitioning the first time around or sore arches or anything else. The second time I got back into it after a surgery I had, I noticed it a little more, then a little more after this last "illness" I had. I'm noticing my toes are really working to get back into shape this time, but with each successive run, they are a little more relaxed and a little less tense, and the muscle soreness is a little less each time.

It's probably just growing/transitioning pains for you. The more you do it, the less your muscles/toes/feet will bother you.

BTW, you probably don't have arthritis, but kids can develop arthritis too. Sad, I know.

 

[Smelph]

I have the same problem and

I have the same problem and it's been going on for over a month (almost 2!). At first I thought it was (or was similar to) PF, and was treating it accordingly, but it still hasn't gone away. It never bothers me during a run or any time while on my feet, but flares up dirt thing in the AM or after sitting around for a while. One thing I have noticed that requires further monitoring is that if I'm real careful about how hard my steps come down while running I seem to have less soreness later. I have a bad habit of coming down too hard when my form gets lazy or when going downhill, so I've been working on steppig "gently". I think some people describe it as "lifting your feet before they hit the ground". Like I said, I'm going to monitor his for a while and see if that's it for me, which would mean it's a technique/form issue. This has also helped my recovery time regarding some soreness in my left Achilles, which I hurt about a month ago. If I step hard it tends to tighten up and get sore, but if I keep my knees bent and step gently there is no pain.

 

[Barefoot TJ]

Smelph, are you talking about

Smelph, are you talking about your toes? Are you having a problem with your toes? The OP is talking about sore toes. I've never heard of PF being in the toes. What you describe sounds like PF though.

 

[Smelph]

yeah TJ, that's why it's been

yeah TJ, that's why it's been so frustrating for me. the soreness is right behind my 4th and 5th toes, near the joint where the toes meet the ball of my foot, but not in my arch at all. it's in the wrong place for PF, but the pain shows up at the times when PF does. My doc thought it might be a neuroma or bursitis.

when the OP talked about the soreness being particularly bad in the joints where the toes meet the ball of the foot that's what made me think it was similar to my problem.

all I know for sure is so far is stepping more gently seems to be helping as far as reducing the soreness.

 

[EricsLearning]

My second toe gets a similar

My second toe gets a similar pain in it if I run too far or (as I found out yesterday) try to brake while going downhill fast. I was doing speed work down a pretty steep hill yesterday and was really attacking the hill which felt great. Then I started slowing down and felt myself digging in my feet. Well not it feels like I may have bruised the joint between the toe and the ball of the foot.



Oh well, keep learning.

 

[Barefoot TJ]

It's rare to have a neuroma

It's rare to have a neuroma between the 4th & 5th metatarsals, but not impossible. I have Morton's Neuroma, 2 in each foot; shoes caused this, that's why I learned to run barefoot. Mine are located between the 2nd & 3rd and 3rd & 4th metatarsals though. To be sure, ask your doctor to do an ultrasound, or better yet, an MRI. MRIs are expensive though, so some insurance companies don't want to cover them for this diagnosis. I have been fortunate that my insurance company has covered all the MRIs I've asked for.

 

[Smelph]

Yeah neuroma seems like a

Yeah neuroma seems like a long shot. I've been thinking it might be some kind of tendinitis, but not necessarily PF, or maybe some bursitis in the ball of my foot. I'm going to try to get in with a sports medicine doc before the end of the year.

 

[Barfuß Chelsea]

I do have some arch soreness

I do have some arch soreness as well, but I'm pretty sure that I was experiencing the initial onset of PF before I made the transition to BF, and I'm not expecting that to just vanish overnight. I'm not quite sure if it's getting better yet, but it's definitely not getting worse, so that's good, right?

Smelph, I'll try to be more aware of how hard I'm striking the ground, both while I'm running and when I'm just walking around. Sounds like the pounding from Erics downhill-braking may be what did him in that day as well. Who knows... It'll be a few days before I can tell, though. Man, I wish I could run more than three days a week! This SLOW transition is TOUGH! :~

 

[Barefoot TJ]

Chelsea, If it's not getting

Chelsea, If it's not getting worse, then you are doing fine. Just keep stretching your calves, which stretches your Achilles and plantar fascia as well and sleep with a night splint if you can.

 

[Barfuß Chelsea]

Thanks, TJ! Stretching isn't

Thanks, TJ! Stretching isn't exactly one of my strengths, so a reminder is always nice! 0

 

[Barefoot TJ]

Get one of these if you can.

Get one of these if you can. They really target the right parts of the calves to cure plantar fasciitis. I know you're in Germany, so see if they ship there: www.FootSmart.com - http://www.footsmart.com/P-Step-Stretch-10094.aspx. They also have all sorts of night splints, so search for night splints. It's like stretching the calves during sleep but without all the work. ;-)

 

[Barefoot TJ]

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