The best way I can describe this is, the ball of my left foot feels cracked and weak. I have felt it on and off for the last year. It seems to be worse and gets more aggrivated when I walk, then when I run, but as my runs are getting longer, I am starting to feel it when I run as well. It doesn't feel sore or bruised, it feels cracked, weak and achey. Does that make sense? It also was something that just seems to have happened overtime when I started running consistenly this past year...I never had a situation where I hurt it and felt acute pain. What can I do about this? I have taken off weeks at a time from running and this always comes back. I am really worried this will keep me from completing a marathon. I also tend to feel it more when I run on pavement then on the treadmill, come to think of it I don't think I've ever felt it on the treadmill. Please help with any suggestions. Thank you!

Dear olsenmarion,

Not to be alarming you, but if something feels cracked it may be, the weakness can also be from your body trying not to use the painful tissue, it is good to have it checked out. When the pain has been around as long as you describe a basic x-ray of the foot would rule out a stress fracture. It is possible to have a long-term stress fracture in the foot or lower leg that feels like a boring ache with increased activity and better with less activity. The other thing that comes to mind fitting your symptoms is a Morton’s Neuroma, which is localized pain to the ball of the foot and can extend into the toes. When a neuroma happens the foot is squeezing on a little nerve between the long foot bones that extend to the toes, you can check this by squeezing your forefoot hard and see if it creates the same kind of pain. People with high arched feet and tight shoes are prone to this condition. Using a ‘metatarsal pad’ can be very helpful to splay the forefoot and relieve the pressure to the nerve if it is a neuroma. If you didn’t get a chance to stop by the tents on Saturday please do this weekend, it takes just a moment to check.

Cheers,

Dr. Bryan