Ok runners, a question for you.

Vibrams are awesome BUT there's a learning curve for your bones and muscles. Unfortunately you may have done what the barefoot runners call "too much too soon" or TMTS. It's common, and the pain is likely your tendons adjusting to the new work they're doing.

I would back down, and maybe only do a mile or two in the Vibrams for a week or two once your foot feels better. You could also try spending more time barefoot in general, and ice your foot as much as possible. Then ease into longer distances. It takes a while for your feet to adjust to Vibrams, and you can't really rush the process. I've worn Vibrams on and off for several years, and even I get pains if I go from zero to lots of activity at once in them.

Crazy outlier question, but is your second toe bigger than your big toe? Could be that your toe is getting jammed, in which case you'd be better off with a different shoe or running barefoot instead. (You could try huaraches if that's the case).

MarkChandra wrote: »

What's going on here?

Too much, too soon?

How long have you been doing the 2-3 miles?

MarkChandra wrote: »

I have always hated running. When I had to do mandatory PT running was some kind of torture.

However I've tried vibram five finger toe shoes and barefoot running style and found its not half bad. Enjoyable even. I was doing 2-3 miles 3 to 4 times per week with no issues.

This week I've felt good enough to keep going. First two times I pushed near 5 miles and I'm fine. Today I wanted to nail 5 but the second toe (pointer toe) on my right foot got a bit sore. I slowed down to a brisk walk but it didn't help.

I had 6 blocks to get home, by the time I got there I was limping. This evening there is little discomfort, but a quick run after my 3 year old made the pain shoot up my toe again.

I looked online and saw suggestions of loosening your shoelaces, which I don't have.

What's going on here?

You doubled your mileage out of nowhere. It's a great way to get injured especially wearing those shoes if you aren't used to it.
You probably injured your foot and will need to take a running break to heal.

I do the majority of my running in a barefoot style minimalist shoe - Merrell Bare Access - which looks on the surface to be a standard running shoe though, not a five toe shoe. Such shoes feature low or zero heel to toe drop (encourages a forefoot / midfoot landing), often have a wider forefoot to allow toes to splay freely (stability), and minimal cushioning. Splaying toes naturally provides a lot of stability.

Do the Vibram shoes encase your toes? If so, I can't imagine having something surrounding my toes but imagine it's a love it or hate it thing.

I'm mentioning the existence of shoes like the Merrell (and many others) because if you find your toe(s) are being rubbed because they are encased, but like the minimalist shoe style, there are options.

Even though I put in hundreds of km monthly I mix up my shoes and run in traditional shoes that have a low or zero drop, too. IMO you can help avoid injury by mixing things up.

Zero drop refers to the difference in height of sole at the heel and at the toe. Many traditional shoes have quite a large difference (15mm or more). Shoes with low drop might be in the range of 4 to 6 or 8mm. And of course, shoes with no drop are zero drop.

Regardless of drop, a more minimalist shoe will also have a thinner sole or "stack height".

You can have a zero or low drop shoe with a very thick sole - for instance the Hoka Clifton has only a 5mm drop (they call it offset) but the sole is very thick 29mm at the heel.

In comparison the Merrell Bare Access 4 Street shoe is 0mm drop with 8mm cushioning total 13.2mm stack height.

Shoes with thinner soles offer less protection but protection isn't everything. Some find they are injured more with a less flexible shoe. I rather like a shoe I can bend easily and almost tie in knot.

MarkChandra wrote: »

I've had the shoes for 3 years, so I can't see that it's the shoe change. I do wear sneakers on occasion, but during warm months I usually wear them as my go to footwear.

I've run the lower mileage for about 3 weeks.

shoes wear out and need to be replaced especially for running.

faqs re: shoes

hekla90 wrote: »

If you've had the shoes 3 years, do they need to be replaced?

Possibly not with VFFs. They don't have any stack height or support to break down.

I also wear Vibrams and had a similar problem with my middle toes. They are also is longer than my first. I was told when buying them, that they should fit like a glove. However that is not true if you want to do more than walk in them. I ended up bleeding under my toenails and had to cut them down to the root. I love my Vibrams so I bought a new pair one size larger and it has solved the problem. I also keep my toenails very short, so they don't hit. Long story short, buy a new pair in a larger size.

I've been an avid runner now for about 7 years and tried those runners and personally do not like them. I don't think there's enough cushion with those type of runners. A few people I know who used them have had problems with soreness after as well. I would just go with a real good regular runner that feels good. I've always gone with a regular saucony runner and never had any problems. I run 5-6 days a week and do 10k every run including 7 half marathons.