I’ve acquired pains in the three middle toes of my right foot. It feels like the joints/ligaments are just worn out. When I walk around, I have to walk on the side of my foot because the pain is just unbearable. If anyone here has been in a similar situation, your help would be appreciated.
Interesting…is it right in the toe itself, or where the toe meets the foot? It could be joint related…though it’s not exactly like one’s 3 middle toes get that much stress unless you’re an orangutan working on an assembly line. Is the pain like other types of joint pain you may have experienced, or is more like an electrical nerve shock? If the latter, it could be a type of neuroma, which is a swelling of the nerve caused by inflammation, often related to some form of compression. My dad has them, and I started to develop them a few years back in the middle foot, around the tarsil/metatarsil areas. I thought my squatting days were over…but an adjustment of my footwear ended the problem. If it’s some form of joint inflammation, like osteo- or rheumatoid arthritis, you might want to see a doctor about it to check on some treatment options.
You may have gout. See your doctor to find out.
As an older Infantry soldier also, I had problems with a pain shooting up my first two toes after long marchs. It felt like someone was driving a red hot nail from the tip of my toe to the foot.
I saw a foot doctor and he made me a set of arch supports. Pain when away and I still don’t have it twenty years later. See your foot doctor. Regular ones don’t cut it, (I have some horror stories there) when it comes to feet. Try and find one that specializes in athletes. Best O’Luck.
Gout’s doubtful given the location. My best advice is to have it checked out in person.
Hey Soldier,
As a doctor of Chiropractic I see this all too often in heavy lifters…a few things can account for this. One of the more common is plantar tendonitis/fascitis where the plantar ligament that runs accross the foot swells from repetative stress, the stress causes inflammation that is continually replaced by excess weaker scar tissue that swells over and over causing further weakening of the tendon/ligaments…Another concern I have however is a neuroma along the peroneal nerve. This is from excess irritation between the metetarsal bones of the big toe and the toe next to it…it is carracterized by a painful “rock solid knot” that can be felt, but will also give shooting pains and possibly numbness around the toe and foot. And of corse it could also be GOUT…which id an ecsess of uric acid that deposits in the joints from a excess protien diet…this can be distinguished by a dark red swelling in the joint of the toe ( most commonly of the big toe)…one thing about gout is that it could indicate a “leaky gut syndrom” and too much protien (mostly bad protien–red meats, cheeses and red wine). I have had sucess in treating these through Chiropractic care and specifinc herbal supplementation therapy…With reagrds to leaky gut syndrom I have success with fiber based supplements and aloe based supplements…send me an e-mail and I will give you more info if you wish.
Good luck and never quit!!!