View Full Version : Foot problems under ball of foot
I hike the AT nearly every day in my home town of Dalton MA. Recently started having a problem with my left foot and wanted to ask other hikers about it. Under the ball of my foot behind my big toe has become very swollen, with fluid deep under the skin. It's about double normal size and it feels like I'm standing with thick tape stuck to the bottom of my foot. I have an apt with a podiatrist, but they don't hike and may not be familiar with this type of injury. The pain isn't accute, but it's uncomfortable, I'm continuing to hike but have scaled way back until I figure this out. Any thoughts or experiences with this type of injury? Suggestions for a fix?
If you have actually got a pocket of fluid in that area, it sounds like a deep blister, but until you confirm the nature of the problem with a physician, I wouldn't try to lance it.
Traveler
01-20-2017, 17:53
If you have actually got a pocket of fluid in that area, it sounds like a deep blister, but until you confirm the nature of the problem with a physician, I wouldn't try to lance it.
+1 There are some problems that even the vaunted brain trust of WB isn't able to solve. It could be several things at play or a combination, a podiatrist is not a bad place to start and should be familiar with a pretty broad array of problems and their causes.
rocketsocks
01-20-2017, 18:16
Big toe athritis...cut down on purines, but fo sho go see the doctor, it could be so many different things, the foot is very complicated.
Big toe athritis...cut down on purines, but fo sho go see the doctor, it could be so many different things, the foot is very complicated.
Lots of purines in beer...I love beer...gout sucks!
ScareBear
01-20-2017, 18:39
Could be any number of things. Get yourself to an MD. But, swollen to twice it's normal size doesn't sound like a blister...I would think of things like gout, arthritis, vasculitis, stress fracture, tendonitis and finally...plantar fasciitis...
Good luck and let us know WTH it is!!
Toolumpy
01-20-2017, 21:32
Had same type of issue but no pocket of fluid, very painful. Make sure you shoes are not to tight.
Spirit Walker
01-20-2017, 22:20
Stress fracture or Mortons Neuroma are possibilities, except for the fluid.
Let us know what it turns out to be.
I'll take a shot at answering.
Could be impact stress from too thin a sole or lack of cushioning in the sole or underfoot with your sock. It's compounded by heavy loads, rocky HARD tread, trail step construction(deeper the risers are the more it can happen), stepping on loose rocks, tree roots/downed trees, etc that move or especially roll, and plodding hard rather than flowing with your hiking. See it often among Newbs including AT Thru-hikers in PA and NH through the White Mts. I see it with hikers wearing heavy boots with not enough sole cushioning too.
When able don't choose pointy rocks to step on as the pointed tips can easily lead to what you're describing. Flow. Don't plod. Your body will thank you.
Drybones
01-21-2017, 19:45
I have a similar problem, ranges from outright hurts to walk to the ball feeling hot with socks bunched under the toes. The sock thing was driving me crazy, kept taking my shoes off to straighten the socks only to find they were not bunched, was glad to see "bunched socks" on the video screen in the foot doctors office as a symptom while waiting for him. He said it was caused by nerve damage...probably the killer rocks the last 400 mile hike.
Having Gout, PF and arthritis, I love when I find it is only a deep blister. A quick shaving of the callus, a draining of the fluid a good taping of the whole foot and off I go sore for a day or three but I go. I had a list of available podiatrists from BC/BS and a pic on my phone of the tape job to show any Doc I needed to get treatment from. First stop for treatment was in Franklin. NC they were great and know hikers well.
Wolfpacker
01-23-2017, 08:41
Anyone have any experience hiking with Mortons Neuroma? Does it seem to worsen after several days of hiking? Does a large toe box seem to help without the potential to cause blisters?
Thoughts?
OK, had a visit to the podiatrist, who was very good and works with a lot of athletes with foot issues, his diagnosis is Sesamoiditis. Inflammation of the area under the sesamoid bones (ball of foot behind big toe). Recommended treatment is no hiking for a least a week, better shoes (I have a EE width foot with very high arch), orthotic insoles and for the short term at least, something called metatarsal bars, which are pads under the foot in areas surrounding the swollen sesamoid to take pressure off that area, and a course of anti inflammatory medication My problems started when I switched to my 15 year old scarpa leather hiking boots for winter hiking. Apparently my foot has changed because these boots always fit like a glove. So now I'll be looking for a new tall hiking boot for winter use that is EE. Any suggestions? I may post about that in a different area of this forum.
L L Bean sells wide real boots. REI & maybe Sierra Trading Post also. One more: Limmer in New Hampshire. They sell stock ready made and custom boots.
Wayne
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