Best Insole For Morton's Neuroma

Hi All

I've been having problems with my meta-tarsels in my right foot recently as a result of an on-going morton's neuroma condition.

I was wondering what kind of sports insole i should be looking for - I haven't tried them before and would appreciate any suggestions on the best type for mykind of problem.

Do i find something with padding - is that sufficient

 or do i need something else ?

Thank you in advance

Andy

Comments

  • Ask Lurks?

    The neuroma is caused by friction over the nerve of two meta tarsals rubbing. An insole with a shape which 'splits' these apart prevents the friction. I aimed for a polo shaped padding to alleviate the immediate pain but long term wide shoes and insoles which reduce friction I believe

  • Yeah - another suggestion I found was putting cotton wool in between the toes and underneith, not sure though.

     Are there any sports insoles you know of, which are specifically for runners suffering from Morton's?

     Don't want to risk trying something that might not be right for the job.

    Suggestions appreciated

    Andy

  • I've suffered with MN in both feet for years, but I manage it by having orthotics which have a small mound or bump just behind the metatarsal arch.  This lifts the arch and separates it and, except when I train for a marathon, I don't suffer at all from this any more.  Mine were made for me by an NHS podiatrist - see if you can get a referral from your GP.  If not, then you might need to look around for a private practitioner.  I am pretty sure that mine were caused by running in shoes that were too small for me - Adidas are particularly prone to be under-sized.
  • Hi Edward

    Thank you for info - I'm going to the docs on friday to make sure this pain is being caused by MN. Reading around there is a distinct possibility I may have a stress fracture, not the MN i was diagnosed with 1-2 years ago.

    The MN hasn't bothered me for a while (4-5 months) but when I felt a pain in the top of my foot (like the pain you get after you've dropped something heavy on your foot) I assumed it was MN in another form, instead of the 'electric shock' type of pain which is associted with MN... this is a constant pain while I'm running.

     I'll see what the doc says but if you want to shed some light please do - do you think the pain i'm getting is MN?

    Andy

  • Hi Andy

     I wouldn't want to try to diagnose your MN.  I guess the description of it as an "electric shock" type pain is reasonably accurate, though I would say it's more like a burning sensation.  The point of MN is the location - between the heads of the metatarsals at the metatarsal arch.  However, whether your doctor gives you a good diagnosis is another matter.  When I first presented with MN my then doctor diagnosed it correctly, but prescribed a tight bandage which made it much worse!  Good, loose fitting shoes are the thing.  I also found that running a lot of hills exacerbated it.

  • Hi Edward,

    My old doctor diagnosed MN but with little to go on appart from my description of it and a fumbling around with my foot. The'electric shock' pains, once they stopped, were not triggered again by just pressing my foot, they would occur at random and never while I was running..?? My doctor said carry on with the running and if the pain from the MN is managable there is no need to worry.

    At the time it didn't bother me so I just carried on with my running and never had a problem accept the occasional 'electric shock' which, as i've said, didn't happen while running...

    I did the eccup 10 mile yesterday and got a pain from the ball of my foot, spreading up to the top of my meta-tarsels - I had to keep stopping and starting all the way. I made an assumption that this was related to the MN but it is an altogether different pain which is still lingering now... the MN just goes.

    Hopefully, the problem will come to light with an x-ray and I can put my mind at rest - in the meantime I'm icing it and not running.

    Since my post yesterday I have come round to the idea this may be a stress fracture of the meta-tarsel (all the symptoms are there) but sometimes these are not picked up by x-rays immediately after so I hope they do find something which I can put a name to!

    Why do we do it?

    Andy

  • What you describe sounds more to me like MN than your original symptoms.  I never got the "electric shock" thing - for me, MN was a constant pain that occurred when running, normally coming in after a mile or two, and getting worse and worse (training for a marathon was just horrible).  The starting at the ball of the foot and spreading upwards sounds familiar too, but since I had the new orthotics I haven't had MN so I can't really remember (I'm currently fighting piriformis syndrome which is fun!  not)  However, if the pain is lingering after finishing running it may be something else - a stress fracture is possible.

     Let us know how you get on.

    Edward

  • My MN felt like I'd got a frozen pea stuck under my foot and had walked on it for a long time. It felt bruised
  • Hi Edward

    saw the doctor on Friday - just gave me some pain killers, Nextrin (anti-inflamatories) - he didn't seem to think there was a connection with the MR??

    I've been resting it and will try running on it maybe next week (fingers crossed)

    let you know what happens

    Andy

  • I had a metatarsal stress fracture this time last year - started off with pain on the top of my foot...then on the ball and it felt like the metatarsals were mangled and crushed inside my foot every time I put pressure on it - toes went numb/tingly. Sometimes it did feel like I was walking on something inside the foot.

    I didn't get it properly diagnosed until a trip to A&E and an X-ray. The strong pain killers the GP gave me didn't touch the pain much.

  • Hello theSianz!

    Long time ago my post! - thankfully I've not had Morton's Neuroma now for a solid 2 years. I first started wearing wider shoes - new balance size 4e - wider cycling shoes etc and this solved my problem. I now do most of my running barefoot or (as it is now getting a bit too cold for barefoot) my Vibram bikila's and sometimes my five fingers kso's - all of which  means my toes aren't bunched together! definitely the source of the problem

    Andy from - myrunningtips.com

     

  • Hi Andy image I should check the date huh image

    I have been wondering about these five finger kso thingymejigs...

    Glad it's now sorted!

  • thing is with the five fingers you just have to "transition" into them - ussing your existing shoes and doing some small distances in the five fingers (or any minimalist shoe) or, start from scratch in the fivefingers but start with small distances (1-2 miles) and increase by 1/8 mile per run, if you get pain step back and so on

    main reason i went minimalist/barefoot was to attempt getting rid of a persistant knee problem (runners knee) - to early to tell if it's actually working (NO PAIN SO FAR!) - i'm still tiddling around with small distances but the research on barefoot running points to a more efficient running form so fingers crossed!

    just remember if you do go minimal or (better) barefoot go very sloowwwly, build gradually and be mindful of your body's messages - so worth the effort though!!

    Best of luck!

    Andy from - myrunningtips.com

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