A few months ago my toe next to my big toe caught on a chair leg, you know that one, v painful. Since then it has been slightly sore there, or around where the toe meets the ball of the foot I guess. It has not got better really and with two races within a week early Sept and starting to run a steady 9 miler once a week, the soreness seems to not be having much chance to heal. I'm not in pain and don't notice it most of the time. I'd say when I do the 9 miler I don't notice anything for about 5 miles. Then its noticeably sore and stays so when you put weight down. I stress again its not pain from my point of view, feels more like bruising. As I have no races for months now I took the decision to take a few days off. So far I have not run for 4 days, but did a 2 hour walk in walking boots (with toddler in back pack) and it was sore again after that.

Wondering on opinions here in the forum. I'm leaning towards having a swim tomorrow morning and giving running a few more days off, maybe 7-10 days in total. Frustrating as I feel very fit right now and raring to go, but just don't want to cause a problem by doing so.

is the discomfort coming from a joint? or in the flesh?

If you feel like it's simply not having time to heal then I'd have to suggest the obvious, give it time to heal

Failing that, I'm sure a GP could at least suggest what the problem is, and at best, sort it for you

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Just done some more internet searching and something called Metatarsalgia seems to describe precisely what I am experiencing. Something that started with some smaller trauma but the activity of running has gradually made it worse. The sensation is like bruising in the ball of the foot close to the "knuckle" under the foot, just as Metatarsalgia has been described where I found it. Other things were same as I experienced, you notice the sensation in bare feet on a hard floor, and its better wearing shoes round the house. I may have a word with the GP, but I know the answer will be rest. Additionally if there is a pad I can put under that area and comfortably run that may be something to consider later.

An update on this. I'm being cautious about this, and have not yet run again. I am doing a couple of hard swims a week to keep me ticking over. I am itching to get running again as I feel great. Just with something that could be a broken bone or torn ligament, even if it is a small thing I seemed to be aggravating it. So I am waiting until the sensation has completely gone. After two weeks it seems a lot better, but I think I want to wait until it seems to be fully healed up.

Could be worth a visit to the GP? Worst case scenario is that they'll tell you to rest - which is what you're doing anyway. They may be able to give you the all clear though

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here's an update, maybe if others get the same problem they'll find this thread and it will be useful to them. I did a little gentle run after 2.5 weeks rest and felt fine, but then the soreness returned a little, not excessively. Then went to docs to discuss it. Was not my usual doc but they seemed to understand running so that was good. Anyway the upshot was to be too concerned given its not causing me pain but that supplementing rest with Ibuprofen will help speed the recovery. My foot feels ok now but I think still needs nursing gently through this. So my approach now will be to do a gentle 2.5 miles, take Ibuprofen and ice bath the foot. Then have two days off running and do same again. I'll keep this going so long as the soreness does not return until I feel happy to build up again.

My conclusion on this so far is I may have built up the training and racing too soon, as I only started running in March and am already running 42 minute 10k's. I am 40 now and perhaps need to realise a 40 year old body is not the same as a 20 year old. I can train hard and race hard but might pay for it ;-)

i think it's important for me to place updates on here. it would have helped me to read this thread when i first got problems. My update now is I continue to do 3 short runs a week, about 2.25 miles, and now feel able to step it up a little. I can do the runs at a pace I am more used to training at over that distance now, about 7.5 minute miles. I think now I will keep on like this and introduce another short run, so 4 a week at 2.25 distance. I expect I won't build up further for a few weeks, and then introduce just one 5-6 miler. I miss my 9 mile run I had started to do but have to be patient.

The big thing for me to learn here has been we can do things to help the healing process but we each heal at a different rate. So although I have only ever experienced soreness, and don't think this was a stress fracture, it has still taken time for me to finally begin to think I am rid of it. I had 3+ weeks off running completely then very gentle runs for 3 weeks. Now after 6-7 weeks I finally think this is properly recovering. I don't expect to race now until the spring, I will just take the time from December to April to build up gradually.

Hi Bigcog!

It may be worth continuing some strength training in your legs - have you considered doing leg weights at the gym - or cross-training? Also you mentioned an ice bath - but be careful with the skin around the toes as it is very thin - you may end up overcooling it and getting frostbite!

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