Beginners and Beyond

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Dull ache all over top of foot (Read 134 times)

Runshortii


    After my last HM Sept 22nd I would have some "cramping" over my 3rd metatarsal a few hours after my runs...Nothing really painful just noticeable and it never hurt during my runs. I took 2 weeks off because of achilles tendonitis and then ran a 9 mile race (yeah..probably not the smartest idea). Took another week off. Came back and since then my foot has been fine during my runs but 6ish hours later I would start having a dull ache all over the top of my foot.  Last night at work it was aching for over 4 hours and it still aches a little bit today. I don't have the cramping over the 3rd metatarsal anymore...just a dull ache all over the top of my foot. I've tried palpating all over my foot but there isn't a sensitive spot or anything and no bruising or swelling.  It doesn't hurt to walk on it or jump on it...it's not a sharp pain and it's not localized anymore it's just all over the top of my foot. Sometimes on the bottom of the right side of my foot as well

     

    Does this sound like a stress fracture? I'm making an appointment with a sports medicine doctor later today but I just wanted opinions about it...Sometimes when I move a certain way I feel a "pull" on the muscles which made me think maybe it's tendon related, but then again I did have that localized "cramping" for awhile..but it's gone now so idk what to think. blah! I've decided to stop running until I see the doctor because I'm sure he'll want to do an x-ray...and if I stop running now and it is a stress fracture hopefully it will have started to heal and will show up on an xray by then (they won't do an MRI first even though they're more sensitive...) I'm just so confused because my "gut" feeling thinks it's a stress fracture ( i assume the worst) but I'm just puzzled because I thought they were supposed to hurt during the run and go away with rest...and it's the opposite for me. I know no one here is a professional and I have to see a doctor but I still like the opinions of my fellow forumites Smile

    cmb4314


      I would think that a stress fracture would be more likely to cause pain at a particular point where the fracture is - but I'm not a doctor.  

       

      I had tendinitis in a similar spot last year, and I thought it was a stress fracture for a while.  It took a LONG time to go away.  I've had tendinitis other places before that would be better in a week or two, but for some reason this foot took three weeks of no running before I could even run on it, and another two or three weeks where I could run, but I was still getting some dull pain during/after runs and I was altering the lacing on my shoes to avoid putting pressure on the spot.  I hurt it the second week of October, and I didn't lace my shoes back to normal until Thanksgiving.

       

      I would wonder if the three weeks off got the intensity down from "cramping" to "dull ache", but you didn't completely shake the tendinitis yet.

       

      That said, if you're really worried, I'd say go to a doctor.  It's always better to get a professional opinion if you're really worried about doing damage to yourself.

      My wildly inconsistent PRs:

      5k: 24:36 (10/20/12)  

      10k: 52:01 (4/28/12)  

      HM: 1:50:09 (10/27/12)

      Marathon: 4:19:11 (10/2/2011) 

      FlippyNoodle


      Not a dude

        I had some tenderness on the top of my foot and it was extensor tendonitis. Like cmb I had to relace my shoes to relieve the pressure on the top of the foot. I did go to my doctor and he prescribed anti-inflammatories to help speed the process. It went away fairly quickly with rest, ice, and meds. I'd go get it checked out to be on the safe side.

        Runshortii


          Thanks guys! Yeah my symptoms don't seem to indicate a stress fracture and I have the symptoms of extensor tendonitis too... It sucks, I don't want to spend the money on going to a doctor but I don't want to assume its not a fracture and only take 2-3 weeks off and then re injure myself! I made an appointment with a sports medicine doctor for the 10th.... He's a runner too and has spoke at numerous running symposiums so Im hoping ill get some answers! Thanks everyone!


          Smashy!!!

            I would check your laces. It sounds like lace bite to me. Are the shoes old? Try a parallel lace configuration, and see if that takes the stress off.

            PRs: 21:35 (5K); 1:46:46 (HM); 4:30:46 (FM)

            FlippyNoodle


            Not a dude

              I wouldn't be too surprised if it is gone by the time you see the doc if it is tendonitis or something similar, especially if you intend to rest the whole time in between now and the 10th. However, if it is a problem with your laces it will likely come back either way unless you address that. I hope you get it figured out!
              racecat


              Goddess of the Cuisine

                Something like this happened to me, but I never figured out what it was. Hope it clears up soon.

                In transit, arriving on time. 

                  I had some tenderness on the top of my foot and it was extensor tendonitis. Like cmb I had to relace my shoes to relieve the pressure on the top of the foot. I did go to my doctor and he prescribed anti-inflammatories to help speed the process. It went away fairly quickly with rest, ice, and meds. I'd go get it checked out to be on the safe side.

                   

                   

                  Late to the party but I also had a bout with extensor tendonitis 2 years ago. I took two weeks completely off and then did a different lace pattern and everything was good to go.

                   

                  Here's hoping it's just some tendonitis and not a fracture runshortii.