I can't run anymore!!!

[pinenut]

About 6 mo. ago, I was diagnosed with Mortens Nuroma in my right foot. For those not familiar with this wonderfull little ailment, it is the equivalent of a pinched nerve in the ball of the foot caused by a shifted pedical (sp?) bone. The foot becomes painfully numb from repetitious use (like running).

Well this really sux rocks for me, as a few years ago, I was 2 weeks away from running my first marathon and I broke my back (in a weightlifting accident). Since then, I have had to have major reconstructive surgery to repair my vertebrea and since then have wanted very much to get back into running shape again. Well, now, thanks to this stupid little never ending being bullied by one of the bones in my foot, I can't run anymore!!! :mad:

Has anyone here ever dealt with this wonderful little phenomenon? I have read that only surgery can help it and even then it doesn't go away permanently, that future surgeries will be necessary. Anyone have any advice or experience dealing with this?

[solarliving]

Hi there,

As a massage therapist, I highly recommend structural Integration or otherwise known as Rolfing. I just finished this class back in December and I have gone through what Is known as, "the 10 sessions of Rolfing." THe concept is aligning the structure (skeleton) by working on the soft tissue (connective tissue-muscles, tendons, joints.) The 2nd session is most commonly a session of the feet, ankles, and lower legs, about 90 minutes focused work. You don't have to go throught the 10 sessions you can just ask them to work specifically on your foot. This work is truly amazing.

[karenisraw]

Hi.

I have a problem that is VERY similar, but I am not sure if it is the same thing. Years ago when I worked at a restaraunt, my foot began to hurt right on the ball of my foot, to the left of the bone furthest to the right on the ball of my foot. It feels like a sharp pain, kind of like a nerve or bone rubbing up against a nerve or something like that. I went into the podiatrist and he took exrays and said that I have a dead bone that had hardened and was rubbing up against a nerve in my foot. He said there was not much they could do about it except to give me an orthopedic insert with a hole cut out around the nerve part to take the pressure off of it when I walked. That did not help much, so I gave up on it. He said I could have surgery on it, but it may or may not help, so I opted not to. It only hurts when I do exensive walking or when I jog.

Does this sound like the same as what you have?

SolarLiving,

Do you think rolfing could help something like what I described above?

k
:)

[solarliving]

One of my clients was telling me how he had this excruciating pain in this foot. It got so bad he could barely walk on it. He went to an orthopedist and they wanted to do surgery. He said, "no thanks." Went to a chiropractor and got orthotics. His foot was worse. Finally some intern at the chiro said, "Hey those shoes you're wearing got to go." He got rid of the shoes, pain disappeared. Basically my point is sometimes it is as simple as this. Not that you need a new pair of shoes (maybe you do) but that maybe you just need your foot worked on and realigned. The feet take quite a beating and they are the first part of our body to make contact with the ground. Whatever imbalances are in the foot, travels all the way up to the rest of the body.

[karenisraw]

SolarLiving,

I am just afraid if I try the Rolfing and realignment thing that it might get knocked into a position that may make it worse. I dont want it to get any worse as I really need to use my feet.

k
:) :)

[solarliving]

Do what you feel is right for you. All I know is when the body is closest to alignment it functions better. Of course there is such a thing as compensation and there could be discomfort initially, but I cannot predict what the outcome would be. If it is bad now, you might at least try a session.

[karenisraw]

SolarLiving,

Thank you for your reply. It is not really bad at all and most of the time it does not hurt. Only once in a while. I guess I will wait on the Rolfing, especially since now I do mostly only walking instead of jogging.

k
:p

[luinla]

I'm going to second the rolfing recommendation.

I've been through a full series of rolfing sessions twice in my life.

The first was at 4 years old to correct being pigeon toed. It worked and I've been an athlete my whole life since- playing soccer, figure skating, ice hockey, rowing, running, etc.

The second was at 27 to transform my posture after 9 years of competitive rowing at a collegiate and national level. My left shoulder was higher and more developed than my right and after some weight loss I did not need to carry the back muscles I had before.

The treatment is not for the faint of heart. The deep tissue massage can be painful and involve an emotional release as well as part of the healing. But if you can find an experienced therapist in your area, it's worth a consultation. You won't recognize your body after 10 sessions.

Best,

Lu

[pinenut]

That sounds exactly like what I'm dealing with. It almost feels like I am running on a "dropped bone" in my foot. Unfortunatley, there is no one here on the island that would know anything about Rolfing. There's a message therapist and a chiropractor at the World Gym that I work out at, but I doubt they have ever heard of anything like that. I'll ask though.

I'd be willing to have the surgery, but not here on island. I'd have to go to the States for something like that, I think.

I've been told by a friend of mine that sometimes the Nuroma can just go away on it's own....does this sound right? I've only been experiencing this for about 2 years now.

[theresaann]

I am an advanced craniosacral therapist, and really recommend seeing a D.O. who practices TRADITIONAL osteopathy. If you have a structural misalignment issue, which is virtually always the case with problems in the body, a traditional osteopathic approach can be very effective, because that's what it addresses. And a D.O. can bill insurance, if you have coverage.

I would do a search for "traditional osteopathy" and maybe add your state.

Just a suggestion!

[theresaann]

also, Feldenkrais treatments might be really helpful. Do a search for "feldenkrais" and your state, see what comes up.

[pinenut]

Excellent suggestions, but I don't live in the States. I'm from the Cayman Islands.

We don't even have osteopaths here.

I guess I'll just have to wait until I move to the States next year and see what can be done about then.... :(

[solarliving]

Pinenut,

Since you don't have the available physicians in your area, maybe you can experiment a little on yourself. I would work on the muscles on the outside of the leg, all areas of the foot, in between the toes, heels. You can use your knuckles, fingers, side of hand underneath thumb (thenar eminence.) Just a thought.

[rawpriestess]

I had a pinched nerve in my back for years, I went to 5 different chiropracters, it helped a little but always came back, then after I had spent thousands of dollars on this, I went to a hypnotherpist, no more pain, it has been many years now, and no more pain, so much so that I became a hypnothrapist.

You see pain is there to tell you that someting is outta' whack somewhere, and to stop doing what you are doing, it is for your own good, but when it can't help you, because it is whiplash from a car accident(mine) or something else, then sometimes hypnotherapy for pain control can help.

the key is a hypnotherpist can not do this unless it is prescribed by a doctor, so there is that one catch. like the person who wants a healing can't decide about their own body on their own? but that is another thread I can start elsewhere.

anyway, so this is one more alternative for you.

[pinenut]

Good ideas, both! Thank you :)

[solar powered]

i dont have any answers for how to make the injury you have go away but i do have an exercise suggestion since you miss running so much: Deep water Running wearing a float belt. it gives you a hell of a cardioworkout especially upperbody when you use the styrofoam dumbells (which i dont very often because i like to maintain as much of the real life action as possible.)
I was in a car accident where i was banged up pretty bad 5 days before a running competition. my joints and muscles hurt to just walk for several weeks after. So in the pool i went, continued with running workouts (mostly sprints and intervals), and still did great. i fell in love with deep water running. i hope this helps.

[pinenut]

Considering I'm surrounded by hundreds of miles of ocean and most of it is pretty calm around the coral shores, thats a pretty good idea.

Thank you :)