Hello there,

About 18-20 months ago I was diagnosed with a stress fracture in my right foot. I'm not sure which metarsil, but the 2nd or 3rd. After wearing a "boot" for 6 weeks, the pain subsided for the most part and went away until about 3 months ago. I got in to my Dr. at the end of May and he did xrays that showed the stress fracture had not come back. He had me do a CT Scan because the xray was showing something? and he wanted to have it checked out.

The CT Scan showed nothing except "soft tissue mass". My Dr. told me he believed it could be a gainglion cyst. After doing much research on these cysts, it looks to me that these cysts are raised up on your skin, which I do not have.
Could it be deep within the foot???

After searching your website, my symptoms sound like they could be more like
Metatarsilitis or Seasamoiditis.

I had an MRI done a yesterday and I was told that the DR. would call me if there was anything "abnormal". Otherwise, I will see him July 13th.

I am 32 years old, not overweight, not a runner, I have pain in the ball of my foot that sometimes radiates through the entire ball and sometimes in to the big toe. It is not "PAIN"...it should really be classified as "discomfort" while walking.

If I put my feet side by side, looking at the tops, you cannot see any obvious swelling, but if I turn my feet on their out sides sides (sitting indian style) and compare the two feet, the sore foot is obviously thicker (swollen)

Any thoughts, comments or help would be appreciated.

Thank you,
Heather in Texas

Heather,

I would suggest reading about Morton's Neuroma. This is inflammation of a nerve, usually between the 3rd and 4th toe. Nerve pain is usually described as shooting or radiating. An orthotic with a metatarsal pad can help by lifting and spreading the bones in the area, taking pressure off the nerve.

Well, I got the results from my MRI yesterday. There is no growth in there, or fluid. What they state on the MRI report is an asymetrical enlargement of the muscle and nerve area. The Dr. suggested surgery to remove a portion of the nerve so that I will not have the pain any longer. While he is in there he can take a look around to see if there is a "reason" why this muscle is so enlarged.

I have hesitations about the surgery, but I don't want to continue like this any longer either.

I have toyed with going to my husband and sons chiropractor (who speciallizes in neurology) but I assume she will say "yes, I can fix that!" and then I will pay out $$$$$ to her and then still need to go through the sugery. And time is of the essesence, if I'm going to have the surgery, it would be better to over the summer while the kids are out of school and I'm not running them here and there and all over town.

Any suggestions?

I really hope that you have gone to other podiatrists or other orthopedic surgeons BEFORE deciding on surgery. Bring copies of the tests and x-rys you ahve had done to the consultations and ask the person you have seen to send the people you see the report on their findings. Good Luck and post on the board how it is going!

Is your second toe longer than you big toe in this foot?

This is a relatively common occurrence called "Morton's toe". This happens when your second metatarsal is longer than your first. As a result, whenever you walk, you place more strain on your second metatarsal than your foot is designed for -- this can lead to a stress fracture in the second metatarsal.

If this is the case, then a special orthotic for Morton's toe will take the pressure off of the second metarsal. This is certainly preferable to surgery.

The nerve pain could be Morton's Neuroma, but since you had the stress fracture, I thought I would suggest the possibility of Morton's toe. (This Morton guy gets around!)

I sould go to a more general orthopedist or podiatrist rather than one that specializes in nerves. It seems to me that removing a nerve should be a last resort, not the first.