Tender Ball of foot feeling

[SiGreenwood]

Don't know if this is actually Diabetes related or not, fingers crossed it isn't, but someone might have an idea what it could be.

Since last Wednesday I have had a bit of a funny feeling on my right foot. It's on the ball of my foot towards my big toe, on the fleshy pad before the big toe starts. It feels as though I should have a blister or a lump or a bit of hard skin there but I haven't got anything there at all and there is no redness or signs of anything being wrong. It's not painful, either to touch or walk on but when walking it feels like I have something stuck under my foot. As though there is something in my shoe, I'm walking on the stitching of my sock or I have a bit of something stuck on my foot. My intital thought was that I've done something while I've been running or cycling, pulled something or got the start of a blister, but it doesn't feel like an injury. I don't really notice it when I don't have any weight on my foot but as soon as I get up and walk around I get the feeling again.

As I said I get no pain with it and it doesn't feel sore or swollen, just a bit of an irritation. As far as I am aware I don't have any problems with my feet so hopefuly it isn't Diabetes related but I always worry about the start of Neurpoathy. If anyone can shed any light on what it could be I'd be grateful.

 

[Spiral]

I have a very similar problem. Mine was caused by my foot being hard on the brake pedal of my car when i was rear-ended at speed just over 2 years ago.

However, these symptoms are very similar to what I understand is a condition called Morton's Neuroma, although it isn't usually in those particular toes. This condition is casued by pressure on the nerves and a callous on the nerve develops. Check it out on a podiatry website.

I Still have symptoms and I may need surgery to my foot, but not for a Morton's Neuroma. my podiatrist thinks the joint capsule may have been damaged in the impact. however, I have some other problems in the other foot - in the ball - and this may be diabetes or it may be something orthopaedic or your actual Morton's Neuroma :roll:

It is worth going to your doctor to get it diagnosied properly as there are treatements r ways of managing it. I'd also recommend seeing a podiatrist - a very worthwhile investment in your footcare. So much more knowledgabel than a doctor when it comes to feet and they know when you should go to the doctor. My podiatrist made me a fabby insole for my shoes that took the pressure off the sore bit. i have also got better at managing it and buy shoes with more padding on the sole than I did - fortunatly I have always been a sensible shoe girl, I've never done strappy stilletos.

I have found that losing a substantial amount of weight has made my foot problems slightly better. But this is early days and i hope this will continue to improve.

 

[deadwood2]

Hi Si,

I'd like to think it wasn't related, too. And hopefully it isn't, but I have noticed that I'm getting pain in the ball of my foot to a much greater extent than I used to before D-day and the BP treatment. It's a bit like the "cushion" of the ball of the foot has collapsed. Not too bad in trainers but now constantly at least uncomfortable in tea-drinkers.

If I'm at a loose end one Monday I might go and see how good the walk-in podiatry clinic is...

 

[SiGreenwood]

Thanks for the replies.
I had my feet up last night reading a book (Pumping Insulin as I go on a pump in September) and I never noticed the problem at all. Similarly in bed last night I didn't notice the problem. This morning around the house I felt it a bit and walking in to work I noticed it again but not as bad as usual. I called the Podiatrist yesterday and I'm waiting for them to call me back today to have a chat and possibly make an appointment.
As it happens I have had Gout once in this foot in the past but that was painful and hot to touch and this isn't. I have also had a few problems with shoes as well with this foot but I put that down to bad fitting shoes. Also I had to put a pair of 'Sorbothane' insoles into my running shoes and put an extra bit of padding under the arch to relieve the pressure I was getting on the ball of my foot but again this pressure from running made the ball of my foot tender and sore which it isn't now.

 

[deadwood2]

Well, tried a new air of trainers with added SofSole Airr (jeez, the spelling!) insoles. Pretty major improvement.

 

[IanD]

I felt the same sort of problem a few years ago. The podiatrist/shoe shop proprietor diagnosed a bursa & made up a special insole to spread the weight around the ball of my foot & take the weight off the bursa. That cost £50.

The NHS podiatrist sent me to the hospital, where they made up a better insole free.

Either way the bursa cleared & I've had no further problem.

See a podiatrist & ask about special insoles. Hope that helps.

 

[hanadr]

I have wierd feet. short first metarsals :shock: and distribute my weight wrong as I walk. I have insoles of various kinds in all my shoes. The gel ones work best. and I wear shoes with air bubbles in the soles. Even when young, I couldn't wear high heals. Luckily I was taller than most of the boys I knew anyway.

 

[red]

hi, I wondered if this is diabetic related. If I walk on a cold surface, like ceramic tiles, my feet feel weird for the next few hours, sort of cold and sort of, I dont really know, but they bother me. The strange thing is Ive noticed most the last 3 months since Ive eat a good diet and lost 2 stone. If my feet are going to drop off please dont tell me.
Red

 

[Spiral]

red, what could be happening is that you are becoming more aware of what is going on in your body as you are addressing your diet I think this is generally a good thing.

I have had some similar symptoms in my feet - even the one not affected by the accident I had 2.5 years ago. Carrying around a lot of excess weigh has an impact on our feet, over and above the diabetes :| Since I started to lose weight I have noticed a (very) small improvement in my feet, don't know if this is related to reducing my blood glucose levels or dropping the weight. Don't care, it feels better :mrgreen:

If you have symptoms in your feet you need to take them very seriously and act very promptly. If you don't deal with the symptoms in a timely fashion at an early stage you will end up with complications. Better to plan ahead and hit the ground running, as it were...

 

[red]

thank you spiral for your response, what do you do then to act now?

 

[Spiral]

thank you spiral for your response, what do you do then to act now?

Ask for a referral to the diabetic podiatry clinic.

I asked my GP for a referral when I had a few concerning symptoms in my "good" foot that my regular podiatrist (who I see because of the foot injury) was unsure about about the symptoms I described and her examination couldn't establish why I had them as they appeared to be a combination of neuropathy symptoms and symtons of nerve compression.

 

[red]

thanks spiral,
I can only imagine what he will say, at the best end of things, he will probably mumble and
say dont read things on the interest, but thats only on a good day, that he will even respond,
perhaps I will have to kill him :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:
Is there anything you can do to 'self help' this sort of problem?
any suggestions welcome.
thanks

 

[Spiral]

self help depends on what the problem actually is :?

I have some physio exercises that were suggested for my injured foot but something different was suggested for teh foot with more recent problems. You really need to see an expert.

The very least I would suggest is a daily wash and gentle massage, including between the toes, while you dry them properly sp that you can inspect them for damage and get to know how they feel usually.