[mvalteau]

hello. i'm 18 years old and I have a Morton's Neuroma! I'm a cheerleader and i also run track, but due to this "injury" i haven't been able to participate this year. I was doing research on MN and i found this site. Please, i need advice from young adults and athletes! Last year during fall 2007, i was cheering at a football game when i noticed this sharp "needle" pain at the ball of my foot. It didn't go away within a week so i went to a doctor. This doctor refused to believe it was a neuroma because he's never heard of anyone my age having one. After receiveing an MRI and x-ray, it was concluded that yes, i have a morton's neuroma at 17. Over the past year, i have received a total of 4 coritsone injections and 3 alcohol injections. I've also tried those expensive orthotics Nothing has worked and my last solution is surgery, according to my doctor. My parents and i are nervous about the surgery becuase the doctor said i will be numb in my 2 toes forever. Will this affect me in the future? will the surgery take away the awful pain? How is the healing process and will i be able to run again? Please people, i need advice!

[MNnomore]

I don't know if you check back ever, since you posted in December, but I wanted to reassure you that you will be fine.

I've had this problem since my early 20's and I finally gave up and had surgery last week (I'm now in my early 30's). I am a runner and an active person. I had to give up running, or even walking anywhere and had to wear sneakers only and even with those, would get piercing pain just walking around my office.

I know two friends who have had this done (both in their twenties) and one is back running 1/2 marathons building back up to running full marathons a year later. The other also has recovered and is back to her life, minus high heels or pointy shoes, etc.

From the progress in recovery in just 7 days, I think I'll be fine in a few months. I do know that yes, you will have some numb areas near your toes, but other than feeling sort of odd, it shouldn't affect anything you do. Plus, it's a worthwhile trade off for getting rid of the pain, right?

Good luck in whatever decision you make! I know I plan to be back running and hiking and exercising, regardless of any small area of numbness!

[spectas]

Hi,

I've had multiple neuroma surgeries. In my opinion I wish I never had the surgery OR perhaps just one in one foot. I was great for 5 years but then the scar tissue grew in very very badly and caused MUCH more problems than the original - plus I found out whenever a nerve is cut it will grow back so new neuromas can form and others branch out. Some are lucky that this does not happen in a place where it bothers them but I am much worse and cannot wear shoes at all sometimes - I walk in the snow in socks! I cannot drive nor walk more than 1/8 mile - my feet are a mess and I had very good surgeons. It's a tough call - if it was mean I would try massages by a licensed massage therapist, exercises, check out to see if a lot is really metatarsalgia (in my case I think that had more to do with it) - do you have back problems that affect the feet and so on - be careful of cortisone - they told me that's what really gave me the scar tissue AND totally destroyed my fat pad - I have zero fat pad. I'm sure you will hear some success stories - but mine is not one of them and I know others like me.

[mvalteau]

thank you for responding. i did in fact get the srugery on january 21, 2009. so it has only been like three weeks since my surgery. i took a week off school and went back the following monday. my incision is more than an inch long and my foot was extremely swollen and brusied. i was on crutches for two weeks and wore a special shoe.

now that it has been three weeks, i feel like i'm healing quick. my stitches are out and i can wear my regular shoes and can walk at normal speed. there is no needle pain but i'm still sore on the ball of my foot. i can only walk for so long but i guess that's just the healing process. i'm excited to heal fully and get back to running! i miss it so much. thank you for you encouragement. you are right about the numb feeling in between the two toes, but it's so much better than needles! so far the healing is steady and i will continue to be positive that this is my cure. :)

[hwemyss]

Hi I'm 55 and have had Mortons neuroma in my right foot since my mid 20's sometimes it's painful and then doesn't bother me for months or even years. I am a nurse and a keen hillwalker and can't emphasise enough how important good footwear has been for me, I get flare ups when I wear heels and usually when breaking in new footwear. Last year I took up running and providing I was wearing my comfy running shoes had no problems. More recently( and following foot surgery for another problem) I developed Mortons neuroma in my left foot because of a change in weight distribution over the sole of my left foot. You are so young and your problem may well settle down without any more invasive intervention such as injections, if I were you I would think very carefully before having any surgery as you may end up with more problems than you started with, correct footwear will help and only ever wear heels if you really have to. I have lived a very active life so far and yes sometimes its sore when I've been on a long tough walk but it has never stopped me from doing anything am hoping to run a half marathon later this year.