Metatarsalgia - Any experiences?

[scbusf]

I am in agony. It started 2 weeks ago. I saw a Podiatrist 2 days ago and he gave me the little pads to use. It’s not helping much. 

he said if it isn’t better in 2 weeks, he’d put me in a boot. 
 

what else can I try? Ibuprofen takes the edge off the pain, ice doesn’t seem to help. 

[Kassia]

I had it years ago and I used the gel pads and they helped a lot.  I'm sorry you didn't get relief from them.  I don't remember much else other than it was frustrating and took a long time to heal.  I think the boot would help.  Sorry I don't have anything to help.

 

[happi duck]

Not this exact spot, but when I have had foot pain I have been helped by getting rid of muscle knots in my calf and alongside my shin.  Dh worked on the knots by hand and with a roller called The Stick.  Might be worth a try.

[Pawz4me]

I have sort of a chronic metatarsalgia due to RA. These shoe inserts help somewhat, I think. I use them in good quality athletic shoes (the only type of shoes I wear other than Crocs around the house). But I have chronic foot pain in multiple areas due to permanent damage from RA, so it's kind of hard to tell how much they help. But overall I do think those inserts help some.

[gardenmom5]

some of the issues i've had with my feet have benefitted from seriously massaging the backs of my calves.  (tight muscles there, pulls on muscles in the feet.)

[matrips]

Have you tried ultrasound?  That has a variety of uses.
 

i know it’s different but ultrasound was awesome at alleviating my plantar fasciitis.

[itsheresomewhere]

Just went through this. What helped me was inserts from amazon for my work pair of shoes and massage. I did a massage twice a day at least to my calves and the foot.  The massage I swear worked better than the inserts but the inserts didn’t hurt.  Get a dollar for the calves and some nice lotion for the feet.  It will be painful as hell in the beginning on the foot but it does get better and less painful fairly quickly. 

[katilac]

Is there a medical reason to wait on the boot? If it's an insurance reason, as in they won't pay until you try something else for x amount of time, I'd be looking for a medical supply place and seeing if I could just buy one. Or I'd call him back and say the pain is unbearable - once you leave, doctors rarely think of you again until you return, lol, so you need to initiate contact. Be very vocal and very stubborn, don't try to be overly polite and don't let him force you into agreeing with him because he's making you uncomfortable (I know this particular doc may do none of that, but it's common and you should be prepared). 

Doctors will often ask if the pain is bearable, if you can possibly endure it until x, y, or z happens. It's a dumb question, because obviously we can endure pretty much whatever we have to, so don't get sucked into saying yes. "No, I cannot wait the two weeks. The pain is unbearable and I cannot do everyday activities, even with this pain medication and that adjustment. The pain is, I repeat, unbearable." 

Call him tomorrow, as soon as the doors open. 

[scbusf]

Thank you, everyone!!!! 

I ordered some of the pads that are sturdier than what I have. Hopefully that will help.

I have been staying off my feet today and letting my kids wait on me 🙂 

@katilac There is definitely no way I will last 2 weeks! I will give the office a call this week. I mean, if I'm willing to deal with the boot, hopefully he will be OK with that.

[Timberly]

After over a year of foot pain limiting my ability to walk much, I bought this massager at Costco - https://medmassager.com/products/foot-massager.   The pain was so awful that I was willing to try stuff that I wouldn't have thought I'd ever consider. Wow, but the massager brought such sweet relief!  At first the pain relief lasted maybe 15 minutes, but now it lasts for several hours.  Using it on my calves, https://medmassager.com/apps/help-center/uses-and-techniques/using-the-foot-massager-for-calf-and-lower-leg-pain, eliminated the calf muscle cramps that woke me many times each night.  Amazon also sells this massager, but I don't think they have the newest model.

I continue to wear the foot 3-d scanner foot orthotics that I got from my podiatrist.  They enable my arch to make contact with my shoes, so less pressure on the ball of my foot, which really lessons my pain.

My podiatrist recommended these Hooka tennis shoes -  https://www.triathletesports.com/hoka-one-one-womens-gaviota-2-stability-shoe-2021/?sku=1099630-GrapeJuice-6&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI__Kn-uv77gIVAz2tBh3w7A4yEAQYAyABEgKfj_D_BwE and they help so much that I wear no other shoe.  

Before I got the massager, I often propped my feet on this bed wedge pillow, https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008GQ04S8/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1, while using these ice packs https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07G5NFS5W/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1.

 

These slides/sandals were the best thing I found for when I don't have the Hooka tennis shoes on my feet, which for me means, going to the bathroom during the night, showering, or when I first wake up. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00BRC4ZJ2/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I hope your foot pain is relieved soon!!!!!!

 

Edited February 21, 2021 by Timberly

[prairiewindmomma]

Yup. 
 

What’s the root cause of your metatarsalgia? Are your joints degrading and fusing or are you just dealing with soft tissue inflammation?

All the pads do is spread out the bones a bit in your feet. It doesn’t resolve the issue. It can relieve pain, but it doesn’t fix the mechanical.

Did you have X-rays? Do you have a high arch also? Like, more info is helpful....

 

[scbusf]

2 hours ago, prairiewindmomma said:

Yup. 
 

What’s the root cause of your metatarsalgia? Are your joints degrading and fusing or are you just dealing with soft tissue inflammation?

All the pads do is spread out the bones a bit in your feet. It doesn’t resolve the issue. It can relieve pain, but it doesn’t fix the mechanical.

Did you have X-rays? Do you have a high arch also? Like, more info is helpful....

 

It’s the soft tissue inflammation. My arches collapse when I walk. The doc also said that one of my bones near my big toe is a bit shorter than normal, so all of those factors are contributing. 

[prairiewindmomma]

I would then recommend getting some slip-in shoe orthotics to address the arch issue, using Therabands and rollers to stretch out your feet, and getting shoes with wide toe boxes. If you have a Walking Company store near you, it’s a great place to try orthotic shoes that don’t look like they belonged to your great-grandmother (well, most of them).

[Harriet Vane]

I had terrible metarsalgia that has mostly resolved.

I do not think a boot will help. I think you will have the same problem when you take the boot off, but worse because your foot will be so much weaker from lack of use.

What worked for me was a hard, stiff orthotic that supports my arch and more importantly, has a stiff bump that holds up the part of the arch that joins with the ball of the foot, thus providing relief to the metatarsils. Rather than a boot, I was specifically prescribed to wear Brooks shoes, which have super-thick, super-absorbent soles. This system reduces the impact through the joints, lifts the parts that need lifted, and still allows full usage of the feet.

In addition, I iced my feet twice a day and did stretches with a ball or frozen water bottle.

[Diane D.]

The problem I'm having with both my feet for the past couple of years, is difficulty walking or standing on a hard surface because it always feels like I'm walking on rocks. Does anyone else have this? I'm not in too much pain though, except for one baby toe that is very painful and seems to be red and swollen all the time. On a phone call to my family doc, he says it could be metatarsalgia, but won't know until he sees me next month. The feeling like I'm walking on rocks or marbles can be extremely painful occasionally. Thanks for reading my post.