Bun-yun= No Fun Run?
October 28, 2011 1:56 PM Subscribe
I (think I) have a bunion and want to run a race tomorrow. What can I do?
When running on a flat trail 2 days ago, I got a sudden and severe pain on my left foot, bad enough that I stopped running ~2 miles into my run and walked home. Over the last day, I isolated the pain enough to realize it's at the big-toe-meets-foot bone where lots of people have bunions. I've never had pain there before, though I have had some bouts of tendonitis on the tendon on top of my big toe.
YANMD.
1. Do bunions suddenly flare up like that?
(I'm 24, been running for ~10 years, not pushing mileage, wearing usual shoes that are broken in but don't have much over ~100 miles on them)
2. I would like to run a 5k tomorrow and am trying to PR. How can I minimize pain?
Googling is getting a lot of bunion surgery sites and shoe insert suggestions. I saw http://ask.metafilter.com/123893/How-do-I-slow-my-bunion-down and http://ask.metafilter.com/124868/I-just-found-out-my-foot-pain-is-being-caused-by-bunions-Now-what and will try the taping suggestion if something better doesn't come up.
When running on a flat trail 2 days ago, I got a sudden and severe pain on my left foot, bad enough that I stopped running ~2 miles into my run and walked home. Over the last day, I isolated the pain enough to realize it's at the big-toe-meets-foot bone where lots of people have bunions. I've never had pain there before, though I have had some bouts of tendonitis on the tendon on top of my big toe.
YANMD.
1. Do bunions suddenly flare up like that?
(I'm 24, been running for ~10 years, not pushing mileage, wearing usual shoes that are broken in but don't have much over ~100 miles on them)
2. I would like to run a 5k tomorrow and am trying to PR. How can I minimize pain?
Googling is getting a lot of bunion surgery sites and shoe insert suggestions. I saw http://ask.metafilter.com/123893/How-do-I-slow-my-bunion-down and http://ask.metafilter.com/124868/I-just-found-out-my-foot-pain-is-being-caused-by-bunions-Now-what and will try the taping suggestion if something better doesn't come up.
In my experience bunions don't just flare up like that, and they're not sharp pain. It seems more likely that it's something else. You can try taping it and taking ibuprofen, but if it flares up during the race tomorrow I'd stop immediately, and think about seeing a doctor to rule out stress fractures and other acute problems.
posted by ldthomps at 2:08 PM on October 28, 2011
posted by ldthomps at 2:08 PM on October 28, 2011
I can't advise you on running, but I can tell you about bunions. They're usually pretty visible -- like a big knot on the side of the foot. It doesn't sound like that's what you have.
posted by mudpuppie at 2:42 PM on October 28, 2011
posted by mudpuppie at 2:42 PM on October 28, 2011
Best answer: Yeah, bunions ache or flare up, but there's no real sudden sharp pain. They take a long time to develop, as they're (most commonly known as) the bump on the side of your toe caused by bursitis or a deformation of the mesophalangeal joint/deviated position of the big toe. Do you have a big bump that looks like this?
Anyway, I think it's more likely that the tendonitis is flaring up or you've strained something or possibly have a stress fracture, maybe sesamoiditis?
I agree with yarly: you should not run through acute pain. Until you know what this is, you risk making it worse.
posted by Specklet at 2:44 PM on October 28, 2011
Anyway, I think it's more likely that the tendonitis is flaring up or you've strained something or possibly have a stress fracture, maybe sesamoiditis?
I agree with yarly: you should not run through acute pain. Until you know what this is, you risk making it worse.
posted by Specklet at 2:44 PM on October 28, 2011
I'd also suggest you rule out sesamoiditis. I broke my sesamoids and it was pretty much a sudden-onset thing. I went running, came home, my toes hurt (my shoes were too small), the other toes stopped hurting but the big toe didn't.
posted by librarina at 3:03 PM on October 28, 2011
posted by librarina at 3:03 PM on October 28, 2011
i agree that this doesn't sound like bunions—at least not yet. i had bunion surgery on both of my feet about a dozen years ago and prior to that the pain in my feet from bunions was a near constant pain, but more like an ache as others have mentioned above. it was never a sharp, sudden and/or severe pain.
please get this checked out and don't run.
posted by violetk at 3:49 PM on October 28, 2011
please get this checked out and don't run.
posted by violetk at 3:49 PM on October 28, 2011
Look into the possibility of gout.
It strikes at the joint you describe and hurts like hell.
posted by fivesavagepalms at 4:44 PM on October 28, 2011
It strikes at the joint you describe and hurts like hell.
posted by fivesavagepalms at 4:44 PM on October 28, 2011
As one who recently passed the one-year anniversary of the onset of achilles tendinitis, my best advice to you is DO NOT FUCK UP YOUR FEET.
If you miss tomorrow's run, you can go on many more after your foot heals.
If you do tomorrow's run and bugger your foot completely, you might not run again. Ever.
Do not fuck up your feet. You need those for walking around on.
posted by flabdablet at 8:42 AM on October 29, 2011
If you miss tomorrow's run, you can go on many more after your foot heals.
If you do tomorrow's run and bugger your foot completely, you might not run again. Ever.
Do not fuck up your feet. You need those for walking around on.
posted by flabdablet at 8:42 AM on October 29, 2011
I had a bunion. As a matter of fact, I am currently recuperating from the surgery to remove it. It was very gradual. I noticed the bump and the big toe moving a year before any symptoms appeared. I started getting blisters due to issues with my shoes next. It wasn't until a year or so after that the pain began. Note the timing: it took almost 2 years between when I noticed I had a bunion to when I started feeling pain.
Sudden foot pain could mean any number of possible things. The sudden part is most troubling. And it's a clear sign that you shouldn't be running that 5K. Come Monday, you should check with your doctor. You may end up with a podiatrist or an orthopedic surgeon, I recommend the latter (but it's up to you and/or your health plan). In the meantime, rest, ice, NSAIDs are the usual things.
posted by tommasz at 8:49 AM on October 29, 2011
Sudden foot pain could mean any number of possible things. The sudden part is most troubling. And it's a clear sign that you shouldn't be running that 5K. Come Monday, you should check with your doctor. You may end up with a podiatrist or an orthopedic surgeon, I recommend the latter (but it's up to you and/or your health plan). In the meantime, rest, ice, NSAIDs are the usual things.
posted by tommasz at 8:49 AM on October 29, 2011
Best answer: I've been a runner for almost 40 years and run in hundreds of races. In general, when I found myself asking myself the day before a race, "should I run tomorrow?" and went ahead anyway, I regretted doing it. Listen to your body when it talks to you.
posted by three blind mice at 10:17 AM on October 29, 2011
posted by three blind mice at 10:17 AM on October 29, 2011
This thread is closed to new comments.
In any event, rule 1 of staying healthy and running for life is DO NOT RUN THROUGH ACUTE PAIN. take a break!
posted by yarly at 2:05 PM on October 28, 2011 [1 favorite]