I recently interviewed a new patient who had a 3 month history of pain in the ball of her foot near where the second toe meets the foot. In anatomy speak we call this the Metatarsal region. She struggled with this pain and eventually saw a podiatrist who told her she probably had Capsulitis and r [...]
Dr. Allen, I have had pain in 2nd inter-digital space/metatarsal head for almost two years now. I have bunions outside both my little toes and currently run in Altra shoes to accommodate the space needed. The pain ebbs and flows as I decrease/increase my mileage. Currently I can run around 6 miles b [...]
What is it? Runners Knee or Patella Femoral pain Syndrome (PFPS) is a common diagnosis given to runners suffering from pain in the front of their knee that is sharp and stabbing when they run. It generally begins later in a run and quickly progresses to the point that it prevents running at all. Squ [...]
Pain in the Ball of the Foot = Metatarsalgia Pain in the ball of your foot is usually referred to as “Metatarsalgia”. In Latin, the word Metatarsal is used to describe the region of the foot that is equivalent to the palm of your hand. The suffix “algia” simply means pain. So the word Metatarsalgia [...]
How do I prevent Running Injuries? Running injuries have long been associated with biomechanical factors such as excessive impact forces and excessive pronation. Recently, many so called experts have made a giant leap of faith and proclaimed that heel-toe running has more impact forces tha [...]
I have been treating calf injuries in runners for 10 years. I thought I had seen it all, in addition to the usual suspects like Achilles tendonitis and tendonosis I have successfully treated ruptured Achilles tendons, Soleus tendonosis and Haglund’s Deformities (pump bumps) the size of walnuts. I [...]
Pain in the butt/Gluteal pain is common in long distance runners as well as in the non-running population. When a patient presents complaining of pain in their butt/Gluteal pain it is extremely important to do a thorough exam and rule out any and all other possibilities. There are usually 6 possib [...]
There are two types of hip bursitis. Ischial Bursitis which is a swollen bursa near where your hamstring attaches on your Ischial Tuberosity (SITS bone) and Trochanteric Bursitis which is where your Gluteal muscles attach on the greater trochanter located on the side of your femur. Bursitis can oc [...]
Stress fractures are common in runners. Typically stress fractures are seen in newer runners or in runners that increase their weekly mileage too quickly. Recently I saw a patient that experienced a stress fracture in his lower left shin (tibia) after an extended break from running. This particula [...]
I had this Leg Length Discrepancy since I was a toddler with chronic knee pain that would wake me from my sleep. The only relief was to run scolding hot water in the bathtub over my knee until I wouldn't feel anything. I have been to all kinds of Dr.'s including going to Shriners in Chicago, also wa [...]
