Morton's Neuroma

[barbarabennett]

Hi, I'm new here and was just told I had Morton's Neuroma Crazy thing is that I only have the tingling in my foot when I wear my very nice new pair of sandals. The first time the tingling lasted for 3 days then went away. Wore them again today and same tingling sensation. Other than returning the shoes are there any other suggestions? I haven't read any physical exercises for this condition.

[camperfan]

Hi . I
First, I'm wondering how you know you've got MN? I ask because if it's a diagnosis from a podiatrist, for example, they should be able to give you advice, in particular whether an orthotic insole might address the problem. Orthotics can work for some people, especially if caught early enough (ie before the neuroma has got too big). I think this isn't what you want to hear, but if was me I'd take those shoes back. As I understand it, if you've got MN, the pain/tingling indicates the nerve is being irritated, which means it will become even more inflamed and enlarged if you don't take the pressure off it. Then it gets more easily irritated, and so on, in a vicious circle. The sort of things that create the pressure are shoes that are too tight, high heels or activity (such as a lot of standing on ladders) that put undue weight on the ball of the foot, and running in shoes that don't fit properly. Sorry about the sandals, but may be better to give them up, than end up only able to wear crocs. See a podiatrist, preferably one who does gait analysis.

[barbarabennett]

Thanks for the post. I did take the sandals back today! My MD during a routine physical diagnosed it just by me giving her a description of what was happening. Do you know if there are any exercises that may relieve the tingling if it should happen again. I walk several miles/week as well as bike and really don't want to stop these activities. It sounds like my next visit may be to a podiatrist. Thanks for your info. Any other info regarding exercises would be helpful.

[camperfan]

All I know is from my own experience over the past 3 -4 years, and reading around the subject and I'm definitely no medical expert on MN. But as I understand it:
1 - diagnosis of MN isn't always easy (even MRI or ultr-sound scans don't always get it right!) and it can be confused with other conditions, which is another reason to see a podiatrist who should know more about the possibilities and how to examine your foot to establish what's most likely.
2 - the only reason for you to stop doing the walking, biking etc is if it is causing you pain. The hardest thing for me about having MN, and many others I think - see unhappy golfer for example, or the ballerina - is that the level of pain has got so unbearable that it's prevented or seriously interfeared with what we love doing. So carry on walking, biking etc. If you are getting the tinging etc doing them, then, yet another reason to see a pod who will probably try orthotics and/or suggest alternative footwear in the first instance which, for some people, especially in the early stages, can solve the problem by taking the pressure off the affected nerve and stop it getting any worse.
3 - I am not aware of any specific, generic exercises for MN (and I think I probably would know as I have been through a range of treatments). That's not to say that there may be something about your particular gait which could do with correcting by exercises, but that - again - would be for an expert (pod again!) to diagnose having observed how you walk and advise on. That's why I suggested it would be helpful to see a podiatrist who does gait analysis.

Good luck!

[barbarabennett]

Thanks, camperfan! I think I'll just continue as I have been and if it does present a problem for me then I'll seek medical attention. Right now there is no pain and my gait is not interrupted at all. Thanks for your response!

[camperfan]

Seems like a good plan on the "If it ain't broke, don't fix it " basis. Just one thing by way of clarification: the point of gait analysis isn't so much to sort out gait because the neuroma is interfearing with how you walk, more the other way around. IE (or so the theory goes) for some neuroma sufferers, the problem is caused in the first place by a pattern of walking that we've probably had many many years but may nonetheless be stressing parts of the body without us realising it; that is until symptoms start to develop, like MN. Not all people entirely go with this theory. My experience was that I was having physiotherapy for an entirely different problem (with my shoulder!) and the physio thought my whole body was out of true so sent me to a podiatrist who prescribed orthotic insoles. It was when I'd been wearing them for a while that (what I later discovered were) MN in both feet began to play up. I'm not saying the orthotics caused the MN as I realise in retrospect I've had twinges for years, but I'm not convinced they didn't worsen them. That said, I do know that for many people wearing orthotics stops the MN getting to the point where it needs further intervention.

The bottom line seems to be that there are all kinds of unknowns with MN, including what causes them, how to treat them, and how any individual will react to surgery. I hope that for you getting rid of those sandals will be an end to it.

[barbarabennett]

Thanks! You've been very insightful! Think I'll stick with my routine and go with the body and foot massages!!!! Plus, Ill continue to walk and bike as I wish!

[camperfan]

Massage sounds great - tho' be wary directly on the neuroma site as it may be best to avoid doing anything that gets the pain going again (unlike for me, who's recently had surgery - 2nd go - and am practically having to use a hammer to break down the scar tissue).

Glad to be of help, but please appreciate I'm not a medic and anything I say is shouldn't stop you getting medical advice!

Happy cycling.

[barbarabennett]

Gotcha! Thanks and happy camping!