Hi Greg,
Ran across your sesamoiditis cure book on the web. My pain only occurs during running or prolonged standing. Last April I got a pair of Chung Shi rocker shoes for running plus an orthotic from Foot Solutions, and that took care of the problem for 8 months. Since the pain returned in December, I’ve noticed that the Chung Shi compresses my toes, and I found out I do better with older well-worn Asics shoes with a fairly wide toe box. The old shoes, however, still give some discomfort near the end of my 6-mile run (on back roads, mostly gravel/tar), which I currently do every other day. With no running or no prolonged (4+ hours) standing, I have no pain or discomfort at all.
So what I’m interested in is another pair of shoes with a wide toe box and a non-flexing forefoot and good cushioning under the forefoot, like the Saucony Hurricane 13 recommended by Dr. Jenny Sanders here: http://drshoereviews.com/2012/01/
In looking over the book preview, it looks like you’re giving a lot of therapies for treating the pain, but what I’m interested in is finding some running shoes to PREVENT the pain. Does your book have any advice in that regard?
Thanks, Gary
Gary,
I hate to hear it came back! Prolonged standing will definitely cause major problems. I actually cover standing and sitting with pressure on the forefoot in the book. Both create enough of a problem that pain and inflammation happen.
I looked into the Chung Shi shoes awhile ago but all the research I did led to a conclusion that they really didnt do anything for the majority of people (A few people liked them). I am a math guy so I look at things from a probability standpoint to try and be as efficient as possible when coming up with solutions to things.
I personally use Asics Kayano's because they work the best for me. If you look at the reviews (Shoe websites, amazon, etc.), you will find they are very highly rated and reviewed.
Altra's are made specifically to allow for a larger toe splay (toe separation upon strike) so they may be more comfortable for you. Hoka's with orthodics work well too. There is no shoe that by itself will be a solution. You have to have the correct orthodic, room in the shoe and support from a good sole especially when running or standing for long periods of time.
You have to have plenty of room in the running shoe no matter what. Keep in mind that you should be able to goto a wider size in regular running shoes because the orthodic should keep your foot in place and the "way" you lace your shoes should keep your foot snug and your toes from hitting the front of the shoe.
The correct shoe also really depends on your height and weight. (Height comes into play due to your nature center of balance when running, i.e. do you lean forward, back, etc.)
To answer your question, yes, my book goes over shoe solutions.
It covers orthodics. Unless that orthodic was specifcally made for your foot "and" for your condition, it is not the best solution. That might be evident from the fact that you still have pain.
The solutions I propose in the book allowed me to run road marathons literally every weekend with virtually no pain and I had sesamoiditis bad and bilateral. ( I race a lot ). I also did the Leadman race series in Leadville, Colorado with it.
Long story long...
You have to get the right orthodic for your foot "and condition". Also, you have to have someone who can tweak that orthodic until you have no pain. The specific cause of sesamoiditis is a little different in everyone so tweaks need to happen even with a custom orthodic.
Staying off your foot completely (boot and crutches) for most people work. I on the other hand have a real problem with being sidelined so I subscribe more to the "find a way" idea of getting things done.
A few simple changes should get you back to running without any pain. Standing for "long" periods of time has its own problem due to gravity (forcing blood down). You must ice the ball of foot repeatedly to get around this problem. Carry ice packs with you (in a cooler if needs be). NSAIDs should be taken when you know the standing will happen. Proactive is key.
Whatever you do, stay on top of it. If some action hurts you have to stop it until you find a way to do the action without pain or inflammation. i.e. I am not saying to stop the action, I am saying to find a way to do it without pain :)
I hope this helps... If you buy the book, great... You are supporting my race registrations ;) If you don't buy the book then I sincerely hope the problem goes away for you. I can't stand when anyone is sidelined.
If you do find a way that works for you keep me posted. I would love to hear about it.
Greg
Hi Greg,
Thanks so much for your very detailed and helpful reply.
The same day after I emailed you, I found a local store which I hadn’t previously been aware of which carries the Altra shoes.
The owner, Jeff, has quite a few years of experience with fitting running shoes and helping people with foot issues.
When I described my history and problem, he thought it might be Morton’s neuroma rather than sesamoiditis. He watched me run and noticed that I tended to strike the floor with my whole foot rather than heel to toe. Long story short, he put me in a pair of Brooks Ravenna 5, size 11.5EE (my usual shoe size in 10.5 to 11). When I ran 6 miles the next day, I had NO foot pain at all and not even a sensation that the ball of my foot was bothered at all. Two days later (yesterday) I ran 5 miles with the same result. And for the rest of that day and all day today, I’ve spent most of the day standing or walking around and have not had any discomfort, even without using my orthotics.
To clarify, I’m now running in the Brooks shoe with the wide “stabil step” orthotics I got off the shelf at Foot Solutions along with New Balance Supportive Cushioning Insoles (IUAS 3810 -Previously Ultra Arch).
I won’t say this is a permanent solution until I have at least 6 pain-free months, but it appears I’m on the way towards one, at least.
I’m still not sure (and I don’t think Jeff is, either) whether my problem is sesamoiditis, Morton’s neuroma or metatarsalgia, although maybe all of them have similar methods of prevention and correction. Does your book cover the other conditions as well as sesamoiditis?
Thanks again for taking the time to write me such a thorough and considerate response.
Kind regards,
Gary
Hi Gary!
Great to hear Gary! Yes, my book covers all of the best modalities for treating mortons neuroma, seismoditis, turf toe and more! For a few bucks it is worth the read!
Thanks
Greg
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