Long Distance Runners

Join

Big Toe Pain?

janiep81
janiep81 Posts: 248 Member
in Social Groups
I have a marathon relay coming up on Sunday and I have some significant pain in my right big toe. Is this a common running injury? Is there anything I can do to prevent further injury while still running the race?

I wear the same model of shoes that's always been best to me, Brooks Adrenaline GTS/ASR. (I do prefer ASR a little bit to GTS). I have two pairs, a 2016 and a 2015 that I alternate. I run 4-6 miles for my short runs and my long runs aren't more than 7.5 because I'm just training for this relay. I run every other day, generally.

I'm pretty close to my healthy BMI weight but I'm still a "heavy runner."

Is this a problem for an orthopedist or a podiatrist?

Thanks in advance for any help you can offer.

Replies

  • kristinegift
    kristinegift Posts: 2,406 Member
    1) Where does it hurt?
    2) You didn't happen to smack it real hard on something recently, did you? ;)

    It may be tendinitis. I'd recommend some icing, some rest and using athletic tape to bind your big toe to your next toe (or two) over to keep the tendon from getting further inflammed it if it in fact a tendon problem. Hope it clears up for Sunday! Which race are you relaying?

    If the problem persists, you may want to think about seeing a doc. But for now, assume it's a smaller problem (unless you smacked it real hard on something... then it may be broken, but I think you'd have figured that out on your own!).
  • trswallow
    trswallow Posts: 116 Member
    Do you know how much mileage you have on your 2015 shoes? If you are switching back and forth between new shoes and older well worn shoes, sometimes the difference in wear can aggravate your feet.

    I agree with @kristinegift, that it might be tendinitis. It could also be a ligament issue, like Turf Toe. Turf Toe is more common in field sports (Football, Soccer, & Baseball/Softball); where you have more sudden start that would put strain on the big toe.

    Treat with R.I.C.E. (Rest, Ice, Compression, & Elevation), immobilize it by taping to the toe next to it. You should probably also take an anti-inflammatory to reduce pain and swelling. Another thing that can be done to help pump swelling out of your feet is to have a bucket of cold water (maybe toss a little ice in it) and one of warm/hot water and soak in one for a couple minutes and then switch to the other. Repeat this several times and finish with the cold water. You don't want the water so cold or so hot that it will do damage to your feet.

    There is not much to be done between now and Sunday to really correct this. You might try to change how you are pushing off on your toe, but for most people is too much of a change to do in a couple days. At the very least you may have to avoid sprinting at the end since that would put more pressure on your toes. However only you know how far you want to push yourself for this event or how much pain you are feeling.

    As far as which specialist to see; unless you have other issues above your ankles/knees that you want to discuss, see a podiatrist. Both deal with musculoskeletal issues, but a podiatrist specializes in issues related to the feet and ankles.

    Good luck with your relay.
  • janiep81
    janiep81 Posts: 248 Member
    Thanks for the help. I had little pain on race day, and I noticed if I changed my gait a bit it helped. I rested more leading up to the event than I normally would have, and I think that was the right move. I still ran fast (for me). It was a lot of fun.

    I think part of the issue may be my work shoes. I am on my feet a lot with my work and had been wearing some little flats with limited support. I think I need to limit those. :(
  • 4leighbee
    4leighbee Posts: 1,275 Member
    I had a problem with the area right under the first knuckle of my right big toe. I had been increasing mileage and doing a lot of calf extensions (going up on my toes). All of a sudden: extreme pain. It kept me out for three days of running, but in the end, the answer was a lot of stretching, better arch support (I'm in my 40s and my feet are changing), and cutting down on flexing my toes while weight-bearing. I was worried because it was painful but it resolved quickly. Hope yours does, too!

Categories