Morton’s Neuroma

28. April 2009 · Write a comment · Categories: doctor, running

I went to see the podiatrist today. He was a great guy and listened well. He finally diagnosed the foot pain based on the bottom of my right foot as Morton’s Neuroma. According to WebMD, Morton’s Neuroma is a swollen or thickened nerve in the ball of your foot. When your toes are squeezed together too often and for two long (I’m guessing by running), the nerve that runs between the toes can swell and get thicker. This makes it painful when I walk on the foot. Funny but I never had pain when running – only when I walked the next day or two. According to the doc, the nerve gets numb when I run, so I don’t really feel it then – only later.  So, one shot of cortisone a a few days of rest later, I should be good to go by Thursday or Friday morning. I should note that the shot of cortisone was into the TOP of my foot (ouch) but really didn’t hurt at all.

On a side note, he also mentioned that my orthotics should be worn every day, not just in my running shoes. So, except for flip flops or bare feet, they will be in my shoes going forward.

Continued knee pain, then relief!

05. March 2008 · Write a comment · Categories: doctor, knee pain, Richmond, running, Shamrock Half Marathon

Last week after the almost 14 mile run, pain set in. My left knee was a bit sore on Sunday, and very sore by Sunday night and early Monday. Ice and ibuprofen were my only resolutions for then. I went to the gym on Tuesday to attempt to run but was promptly reduced to a slow pace on the treadmill. With each step, excruciating pain. It would have to be a week of rest. On Wednesday, Lori and I walked 2 miles – it was cold and my knee was again not up to it. Time to call the doctor.

I saw the good doctor (she is a tri-athlete). and a good bit of feeling my knee and a few digital x-rays later, she had her diagnosis. Pes bursitis or pes tendonitis. Something about the bursis getting inflamed by the rubbing when I run. So, she shot me up with cortisone, fitted me with a strap to keep the kneecap in place, and put me on high-dose anti-inflammatory drugs. If this doesn’t work, I will be back for other stuff on Friday. I am attempting to run on the treadmill tomorrow (maybe 4 miles), then see how the knee feels.

Our daughter’s knee surgery

04. January 2008 · Write a comment · Categories: doctor, family, kids, knee pain

Kaite is home and resting, with her leg elevated and iced, doing exercises every TV commercial (she is NOT allowed to fast forward through the TIVO’d ads!). For the next 48 hours, that is the prescribed treatment.

She had a plica band which was causing the majority of the pain. A plica is a band of dense scar-like tissue that occurs normally in many people. It is left over tissue from when the knee was developing prior to birth. We always knew she had a little something special! This was removed since it’s location was preventing her knee cap from doing it’s thing. Since the plica band had acted up, the IT band (a group of fibers that run up the outside of the thigh) had positioned itself so that it was pushing her knee cap out of position. This was surgically released to allow the knee cap to re-align itself correctly. Which should allow her ankle, knee and hip joints to re-align eventually. She was great and really held it together throughout. I am so proud of her — and she did far better than I ever would have done (I’m such a baby about such things).

She has pain meds for as long as needed, has crutches for as long as needed, but has already put weight on the leg. She will have physical therapy tomorrow (Friday) morning and will keep up with that for another 6 weeks or so to re-build the muscles again. The bandage comes off either tomorrow or Saturday and then she can hop in the shower – she seems opposed to the yellow of the Betadine as an accessory color!

There are no stitches. It is an amazing thing.