Foot pain after running

[Hard-Drive]

Guys

I'm 42, never been particularly fit, but been training in the gym and running a few times a week since January. Did a 10k run yesterday (52mins, personal best woohoo!) and although I was fine when running, I started to get pain in my foot in the evening and it's really bad today.

It's on my right foot, on the top, at the outside, along the bony part. It's worse roughly halfway between my outside ankle and my big toe. It's most painful if I try to curl my toes upwards and lift them.

Any ideas? Wrong trainers? Never had it before and now it's really bad. Supposed to be doing an organised 10k this coming weekend but right now walking 10 metres is bloody painful let alone running 10k. Have I got any hope of being sorted in time?

I'm then supposed to be skiing a couple of weeks after that. I won't risk the run if there's any chance of jeopardising the ski trip.

Any thoughts on what I've done and treatment most appreciated...I know very little about running and any science behind it!

Thanks

[p1stonhead]

Do you have proper fitting shoes which suit your running style?

If not go to a proper running shop and get a gait analysis done so you have shoes which suit your foot positioning.

[grumbledoak]

Your metatarsals:



Broken ones:
https://www.foothealthfacts.org/conditions/fractur...

It may not be broken, but I'd swerve the 10k and hope for skiing. Get it checked if you can.

[Hard-Drive]

Cheers guys. I see no reason why it would be broken as I just went for a run...no trips or slips. Felt fine during the run, it only got painful afterwards.

But I think I will avoid the 10k this weekend and rest if for skiing...its getting better but still painful. I'd be gutted if I went back to square one and new as soon as I put a ski boot on I only had a few runs in me.

[Forestfire]

Obviously, it's pretty much impossible to be accurate in a short discussion on a forum, however it's quite likely that it's an overuse injury or too much too soon. Reading between the lines on your original post (and I could be completely wrong...) it sounds as though you may have started out running and increased frequency and mileage too soon (the muscles of the body need to take some time to adapt the the stresses you are putting on it). It could be an extensor tendinitis / tendinosis as you describe pain when pulling the toes upwards, but it's really difficult to say (and it is possible to get stress fractures in the foot). Rest the foot, ice it (5 mins every 90 mins or when you can - don't just leave it on). Might be a good idea to book into a physio so that you can be in as good shape as you can for ski-ing. There's no need to panic about not running, you probably won't need to give it up, just rest to heal the injury and then build up again

[5ohmustang]

How old and how many miles do you have on your trainers?

[Cold]

5ohmustang said:

How old and how many miles do you have on your trainers?

And are you lacing them up too tight? (This is very common)

[Z4monster]

Just had a bout of this myself. Started when I went out training one night. From the start it felt as though my shoe was pushing against my foot wrongly.

Not sure if the tongue was out of place or the lacing too tight or if it was the extra hill efforts we'd been doing.

Two weeks later it's pretty much gone OK. Used some ibuprofen and ice/cooling gel on it and it's fine again now.

Looks like I either put too much pressure on the tissues or caused myself a bit of tendonitis.

[SamH216]

I would really recommend going to a proper running shop and getting gait analysis done. From that you can choose some shoes that match your running style.

I used to get a slight pain in my ankle, but after swapping to some shoes recommended by the running shop it's completely gone.

[dave_s13]

Take a picture of your foot and point to/mark up where it hurts.

[anonymous-user]

I would be more inclined to say it's combination of a lack of flexibility, leading to poor technique, and exacerbated by poor footwear.

Work on stretching to increase flexibility.

[Hard-Drive]

Forestfire...quite possibly too much too soon. I've not run for years...probably over 10 years, due to back pain. I have been going to the gym since new year, built up some cardio fitness on the vario etc, and I've basically gone treadmill for 10 mins, 15mins, 20mins, 5k, 10k and then out on the roads, a few 6 k runs and two 10k runs. The pain started after 10k number 2.

5ohmustang...see above...brand new and they've only been used for the road run, so they are brand new with about 40k on them.

Cold...hmmm, I wonder. I'm usually a 10.5 (although sometimes 10, sometimes 11) and although these feel fine, it almost looks like they might be too wide at the point where the lacing stops and the flat bit behind my toes starts, because the material is a bit rucked up there. I do wonder if I overdid it on the laces...thinking back I might even have thought to myself "is that too tight?" but once I got running it seemed fine.

SamH216...a Nike store has just opened near me, should they be able to do that for me? I am just an amateur, no real desire to take this massively seriously (more of a cyclist anyway). So I don't want to spend gazillions of pounds on proper fitment etc, however I do fully understand that doing 10k probably does need a bit of science. What roughly should I be paying for the analysis and the shoes? (Or is it part and parcel like buying ski boots?)

Dave_s13, grumbledoak's picture above, right foot, outer metatarsal, pretty much all along the green bit. That said, sometimes the pain seems to "shift" so rather than being on top of my foot, it rolled underneath (same bone though). But generally on the top/outer edge.

Bulldong...any particular exercises to do here?

Thanks guys...much appreciated.

[anonymous-user]

Have a good look on google as there are plenty. Generally, suppleness when doing any sports contributes to you being able to operate within the limits much easier. I would start with exercises for your entire body but focus on daily stretching.

It takes literally ages to increase your flexibility but it does work and you will feel better for it.

If you go to the gym or know a personal trainer then ask them. I'm sure they would be a big help.

[anonymous-user]

One question. Do you actually like running? If you're trying to get fit there are better ways of doing it. I find running soul destroying.

[Hard-Drive]

bulldong said:

One question. Do you actually like running? If you're trying to get fit there are better ways of doing it. I find running soul destroying.

Compared to cycling & dinghy sailing which are "my" sports it's nowhere near as much fun, however both of those are much more of a faff. I'm lucky enough to live in a fairly rural area so the great thing is it's 5 mins to put my kit on and off I go, and after half an hour I feel like I've had worthwhile exercise. A bike ride is much more of a time commitment IMHO.

[SamH216]

Hard-Drive said:

SamH216...a Nike store has just opened near me, should they be able to do that for me? I am just an amateur, no real desire to take this massively seriously (more of a cyclist anyway). So I don't want to spend gazillions of pounds on proper fitment etc, however I do fully understand that doing 10k probably does need a bit of science. What roughly should I be paying for the analysis and the shoes? (Or is it part and parcel like buying ski boots?)

Yep they should be able to do this. I'm just a casual runner too, mostly doing 5k with a couple of longer races planned this year; but after having it done it was money well spent. Gait analysis is usually free, with good running shoes starting at around £100.

[anonymous-user]

Hard-Drive said:

bulldong said:

One question. Do you actually like running? If you're trying to get fit there are better ways of doing it. I find running soul destroying.

Compared to cycling & dinghy sailing which are "my" sports it's nowhere near as much fun, however both of those are much more of a faff. I'm lucky enough to live in a fairly rural area so the great thing is it's 5 mins to put my kit on and off I go, and after half an hour I feel like I've had worthwhile exercise. A bike ride is much more of a time commitment IMHO.

I understand!

[condor]

I get that type of foot pain sometimes , as well as plantar fasciitis. I do a lot of dog walking and often cover 10 miles a day over rough terrain. By a process of elimination, it's poor footwear that is the cause of mine. Trainers/walking boots don't last for ever and need to be replaced more often than you think.

[dave_s13]

Your problem is to vague to diagnose over the internet.

Go see a podiatrist - one that specialises in msk problems (like me!!!).

You can usually access the service through your GP, of just google it in your area and you may be able to self refer.

[smn159]

Forestfire said:

Obviously, it's pretty much impossible to be accurate in a short discussion on a forum, however it's quite likely that it's an overuse injury or too much too soon. Reading between the lines on your original post (and I could be completely wrong...) it sounds as though you may have started out running and increased frequency and mileage too soon (the muscles of the body need to take some time to adapt the the stresses you are putting on it). It could be an extensor tendinitis / tendinosis as you describe pain when pulling the toes upwards, but it's really difficult to say (and it is possible to get stress fractures in the foot). Rest the foot, ice it (5 mins every 90 mins or when you can - don't just leave it on). Might be a good idea to book into a physio so that you can be in as good shape as you can for ski-ing. There's no need to panic about not running, you probably won't need to give it up, just rest to heal the injury and then build up again

Spot on /\/\/\/\/\

I've had pretty much the same thing for a while now and in my case it was overuse / ramping up the mileage too quickly and (according to the physio) 'chronic shortening of the plantar fascia' I went from 5k up to half marathon distance probably a bit quicker than I should have. In my case I found that my cardio system responded quickly and easily to the increased mileage, but sadly the rest of me lagged behind somewhat.

I also made the mistake of trying to exercise though it as it didn't actually stop me from running, but on the downside it didn't get any better. What worked for me was a combination of a couple of weeks of complete rest and appropriate daily stretching and strengthening exercises. The stretching and strengthening are important as it's easy to subconsciously compensate for the injury and strain something else.

In any case it's worth a trip to the physio to rule out a stress fracture - good luck!