I´ve just diagnosed myself with this, it´s a sharp pain between the 3rd and 4th toes in the ball of my right foot. I feel it when I´m walking. It´s not something you can just ignore!
I´ve been feeling the “rolled up sock” thing for some time, without pain. So it builds up slowly. I changed my bike and shoes early in the year, and I think it´s down to the narrow shoes. Very nice to look at. I´m going to have to get wider shoes and see how that goes.
Important to note that I don´t get the pain while riding, just when I walk. Shoes are NW brand and they are a half size too small.
Highly recommend this technique…as noted above, worked for me multiple times, almost immediate relief.
I switched to wider shoes and it helped but it was too late. I’m having surgery Wednesday 11/11/2020 for a neurectomy. Oddly enough the only time my foot isn’t in pain is in my cycling shoe. I have to wear shoes pretty much other than in bed or in the shower. I hope you caught yours early enough to prevent needing it removed.
Wishing you a successful surgery and speedy recovery. I suffered for years before having mine removed and wish I had done it sooner.
I remember being in a boot for a bit, but back on the trainer really quick. I also clearly remember that I had some lingering pain for a while after the surgery and was concerned it might be permanent. It wasn’t as bad as the pain I had already been dealing with and it went away pretty quick. I don’t give it a second thought anymore except I will never wear a pair of shoes/boots ever again that are tight in the toe box. I’m 99% sure a slightly tight pair of boots caused my neuroma.
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Thank you for the well wishes and the information. I’m so ready to get it over with and like you, a tight pair of Giros (not their fault) and me trying to push through the pain (totally my fault) got me here.
It sounds like your surgery was a great success and I’m hoping for the same. Thank you again!
Best of luck tomorrow, Stringwise.
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Thank you for the well wishes.
I will update this thread from time to time with my progress as I know I won’t be the last person to deal with this.
Surgery check-in was at 5:30. Surgeon started about 10 minutes before scheduled time of 7 AM. General anesthesia was used but no intubation.
I woke up around 9 and was on my way home by 9:30. I got a little emotional in recovery (waking up alone no family allowed b/c covid which I get) because it was the first time my foot did not hurt in 8 months. I was coming off of anesthesia and numbed up from surgery but I didn’t care, my foot didn’t hurt, and it was such a relieving feeling.
So far I’ve taken 1,000mg of aspirin in outpatient discharge and that’s it.
I walked from the hospital door to my car for pickup (I didn’t drive don’t worry). By 12 I was bored and worked for a few hours remote with my foot elevated. I’ve been walking without crutches or a scooter but with the air cast/boot on and my pain is a 0/10. It had ranged between 3-9 for so long I forgot what 0 felt like.
The doctor said around 24-36 hours is when most people report significant pain post op so I’m not out of the woods.
Day 1/2 though so far so great.
I will continue to walk around the house in my boot and move my foot around to get circulation in there. Even if I am physically able I will not ride (or even try in any capacity) until the sutures are removed on day 10. My doc essentially demanded that I give it 2 weeks bare minimum and strongly prefers 3-4. My thinking was a light 20 minute spin with flats and tennis shoes at 100 watts (FTP 320) around day 14 might help with blood flow but it’s too early to really even talk about that so I will stop 
The rest happens to be coincide with with a two week planned rest period built into my plan so mentally I’ve accepted that rest is good, needed and part of the bigger plan anyway.
Anyhoo, thank you again. I will update this again in a few days.
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@Stringwise let us know how you’re doing post-op. Hope all well. This thread has been really useful for me in finally figuring out the debilitating forefoot numbness, pain and tingling I’ve experienced ever since I started cycling. I’ve not being formally diagnosed but have done all the diagnostic tests myself (e.g. pain and clicking when compressing the foot laterally) and think I have a neuroma in my right foot and maybe the preconditions for one in my left. In any case, I’ve treated myself according to the tips on this thread and other sites and am pleased to say that it has solved it, more or less completely. I splashed out on some new SWorks 7 road shoes as the increased stiffness does seem to distribute pressure much better, and these were a really good fit for my foot, but with a wider toe box. I bought a size bigger than usual and put some G8 insoles in with Level 3 arch support and taped some Pedag metatarsal pads (the teardrop ones, bought off Amazon) onto the inner sole. I then put a soft squishy sole on top for extra comfort (the kind you can buy in supermarkets) and … no pain, no numbness…so far I’m up to a 120km ride with absolute total comfort which is unbelievable. I also use “toe-separators” (individual little silicone or jelly rings that you slide onto each toe) and this helps keep the metatarsals spread. I’m going to see a podiatrist just to double check I’m on the right track but for now I’m so grateful for this thread! Hopefully these measures will mean I can stave off surgery until it’s really necessary. I think the real takeaway is for me to realise just how much pressure I had on the balls of my feet, whereas now the pressure is mostly spread throughout the mid foot thanks to the insoles and metatarsal pads - and it’s a stark difference.
Thank you for reminding me. Would pictures be TMI? Haha, honestly things are great. I will organize some thoughts and jot them down here this evening.
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Day 10 (AKA To-f’ing-DAY) was not fun.
Days 2-9 it was really a breeze and I thought this was the easiest surgery I’ve ever had. Pain topped out at a very mild level, very few pain pills were taken, I was looking forward to some easy spins to get the legs re-acclimated to the bike.
I’ve had no swelling at all to speak of but my foot turned pretty dark colored kind of like a bad ankle sprain.
I never took a day off of work but I’m a desk jockey.
Day 8 I noticed some bleeding through the post-surgical gauze. Weird since I never noticed that before so I had to presume it was fresh. Given the amount I opted to swap out the bandages and I used sterile everything. No pain or swelling and the range of motion was coming back some understanding I have stitches so only so much movement is allowed. Morning of Day 8 I was sure a week or so I could probably get a little easy trainer ride in if this path continued for another 8 days.
Day 9 went in for a post-op follow-up. It appeared a small infection was forming on one end of the incision when the bandages were removed. Hard to say why as I always showered with a waterproof boot and have been staying at and working from home. No shopping or walking around outside or much of anything but something found it’s way to the area. Dr wasn’t too worried about it but added a little anti-biotic to my daily dose. First time I’ve been on them for any reason in a long-time so I thought it was a good a time as any.
Day 10. Oh, Day 10. Woke up in more pain than any previous point post-surgery. I would call it a 4. Had a very long day where I was at my desk working on a project all day. When I got up to call it a day around 6, it was clear something was wrong. Lots of pain and no ability to walk with the post-op boot. I’m guess this is from the bad bugs in the area. Super painful. We cyclists can take some pain. Hell I laugh when things hurt sometimes. I’m the kind of idiot that does V02 intervals and asks, “Is that all you got?” Not this time. Full on 8/9 out of 10 through the pain meds. Real pain with no relief. Called the Doc and he said we needed another day to let the antibiotics kick in. I would add a picture but it honestly looks so bad no one would ever choose to do this! Day 7 my foot was trending towards looking normal again. Not day 10. I am sure that without this setback this would have been about the easiest surgery I’ve done.
I’m hoping the antibiotics take care of this and I’m back to letting things heal. Right now, not my favorite feeling or decision.
I will report back as this progresses 
This too shall pass…
Schitt…sorry about the setback. Hope it clears up quickly!
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Yikes, sorry to hear about the infection. Fingers crossed the antibiotics kick in soon.
I actually had to take a trip to the ER. A bit of a long story. It will be fine but this will be a good story for others that are considering their options moving forward. I’m a little out of it but I will recap to memorialize for future readers here in a few days. I am fine but appreciate folks checking in.
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Just throwing more info in here for future neurectomy patients considering their options for dealing with Neuromas.
For 8 days this was about as easy of a surgery as one could imagine.
Day 9 when my surgical dressing was removed there was a bit of an infection on one end of the incision. No biggie, started oral antibiotics low dosage and away we go.
Day 10 the reality of this adventure set in. You see, when you have surgery things are irritated and raw. When you have surgery on a nerve and that nerve gets infected, well that’s just an entirely different level of pain than you realize exists until you have experienced it.
Day 11 - Called my surgeon on his cell phone and told him the pain was literally a 10. He asked me to tough it out to let the antibiotics fully kick in. Don’t OD on pain meds but don’t skip them, stay ahead of the pain.
For background and skip this paragraph if you are short on time, I’ve had many surgeries. If I listed them all people would probably suggest I was stretching the truth. I’ve been a lifelong athlete and I had a pretty hardcore job in the military. Prior to all of that, I was a wild child and broke myself apart many times on bikes, skis, rope swings, horses, motorcycles and even cars. Unfortunately I didn’t inherit a fear gene. Jumping out of airplanes for a living caused me to need both ACL’s replaced. I’ve had several bone graphs. Several fractured vertebrae. Severe burns and way too many skin graphs to list. Honestly I’m just getting started. Broken collarbone, broken arms, broken wrist, broken orbital bone and broken nose. When I have to fill in the pre-surgical questionnaire to list surgeries it’s just easier to check “all of the above.” Somehow I’m still healthy overall, probably just good genes lol.
This brings me to my nerve. Once the infection spread into the cavity that used to hold my nerve, the irritation that it caused that nerve ending was out of this world. After the surgeon told me to tough it out for 24 hours and then check back in I tried.
The nerve was getting so irritated my foot started cramping and violently reacting to the pain. Every time there was a shot of pain my foot would contort and clench and holy shit I was sweating and about ready to pass out.
At this point I took 3 percocets (don’t judge lol) and asked Alexa to set a timer for 1 hour. If in 1 hour I wasn’t better I was heading to the ER.
61 minutes later I was out the door. Went to one ER and they had a 3 hour wait. Called to find another and they had no wait. 45 minute drive but it was worth it. Ended up on a morphine drip, got a CT scan, shot of antibiotics, full blood panel (white blood cells and inflammation markers were off the charts), a couple of other things I honestly don’t recall but I eventually had no pain.
The good news was that somehow I got a bad infection but in reality nothing else jumped out to the ER doc (such as an abscess, etc.). I got some stronger pain meds and some gabapentin to control the foot seizures I was having. Also 2 oral antibiotics to try to kill the infection right now.
That was Saturday night. I was bedridden for 3 days basically only getting up to hit the restroom.
The pain over those 3 days is really a pain you have to experience to believe. I’ve never felt anything like it. I’ve never been electrocuted but I’m guessing there has to be some similarities. Not joking here. Pain meds helped but I was watching the clock between doses.
Tuesday I bought crutches. Up to day 10 I could walk without them but not now.
It’s Wednesday today and things are beginning to calm down. I can walk gingerly on the foot now short distances without crutches. Pain has receded significantly and the “nerve of death” seems to have gone back into its lair, for now.
That was a long story and sorry if it seems scary. Right now if I had to choose I would have just lived with the daily pain rather than facing the almighty pain that I did not know existed.
Hopefully in a week all of this will be a distant memory.
Had I not contracted this infection, I think it would have been easy and I would possibly be back on the bike next week. But for any surgery there is a risk of infection. I pulled the short straw in some way or another.
If you choose to have the surgery, don’t take it lightly. Don’t touch the incision. Don’t remove the bandages. Don’t get it wet. Don’t work on your new bike frame in the garage when you feel good even for a few minutes (yes, I did that). Chill. Sit on the couch. Don’t work (I did). Keep your foot away from everything “germy” or dirty and you will probably be just fine.
It’s the infection that got me, not the surgery, and that may have been my fault. Keep it completely clean!
To the gods of karma, I apologize and I have repented. I am trying to help those that travel this journey behind me. Now please let me go ride my bike again! 
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Sounds absolutely brutal…hoping the worst is past.
Heal quickly and well!
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Much appreciated. “Brutal” - yes that nails it!
Man, that sounds awful. Glad you are coming out the other side. It’s great you detailed what happened as it is a possibility and important to bear in mind when considering surgery. Wishing you all the best for your recovery, albeit a longer one that you expected!
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I wasn’t sold on the surgery before and I am certainly not going to risk it now! 
Mine is 2/10 pain when running (4 days/week). A couple of years ago when I developed it while running 9 times a week it was irritated more, perhaps 4/10.
Good that you feel better! I’ve torn my skin in a crash and although it wasn’t that painful it took 3 months to heal because of the infection.
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I kind of feel bad because I might be the 1/1000 case. That said, I am healthy and the nurse in the surgical center said my vitals were the best she’d seen in a long time. I take no medication, eat pretty clean, 8-10 hours of cardio (pre-nerve from hell), etc.
The flipside is if I didn’t say anything and someone else comes along with a similar story, I probably wouldn’t feel like adding on at that point with a “me too” hand raise and a story from hell. People would wonder why I didn’t say anything sooner.
So, I’m one of very few from my understanding. I’m getting better everyday. Back to no crutches and tapering off the pain meds though I actually still do need them, they aren’t a convenience in other words.
Another post-op visit next week. I’m hoping if the infection is really gone 6 days from today I will be back to where I was pre-infection, but not super optimistic.
Pain today is 3-6 depending on distance from pain meds taken.
Stay safe and weigh your options. Check in if you can’t deal with the pain and want some advice. That is if I didn’t scare the hell out of you enough already 
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Man, sounds like a really tough stretch. Hopefully you will keep heading in the right direction and it will soon be a distant memory. Hang in there and rest up.
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