Request for advice for taping foot to stabilize foot and minimize toe movement

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I am looking for suggestions on how to tape my foot to stabilize the toe area and minimize left to right rolling of the foot.

Perhaps I should start with some background. I've been playing soccer recreationally "with the guys" at work for about 2 months 2-3 times a week during lunch hours. As we've gotten better, we've also become more aggressive. 2 weeks ago I experienced some pain hear the knuckle of the fourth toe of my left foot. There was no swelling and initially I thought that it was a muscle cramp since it would go away with an upwards stretch of the toe. However after our game this past Friday the pain has persisted when I walk. I can massage my foot, poke and prod and it doesn't cause any pain. But when I put my foot down on the floor and lean my leg towards the right, I get a pop out of the knuckle in question with quite a lot of pain.

I saw my GP and she thinks that it is a strained supporting muscle and suggested that I let it rest and to tape it up for soccer games. I agree with the rest, but disagree with playing any soccer on it until it is much better.

So with all that background, I am looking for suggestions on how to tape my foot for every day walking as I let the injury heal. I have tried a number of different schemes of my own devising, but they don't always work very well to keep that fourth toe in it's neutral position as I walk. Any help is greatly appreciated.

You never realize how valuable good health is until you don't have it!

Thanks in advance.

Caine

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[physiobob]

Non point taping it if you are not playing soccer. I would get someone to assess whether you need an orthotic (arch support) in side you shoe. This will stop the mid foot from pronating and therefore reduce the torsion on the toes. You can probably buy something over the counter at a good chemist or sports/running store for about $40-$50.

My advice would not to play at this time as your history suggests one of getting worse not better right now. I would also want to check out that you don't have a small stress fracture in the toe as this is possible.

The best advice right now is to get an assessment with a good local sports physio. They can give you a plan and get you back on the pitch faster than waiting for the pain to subside and then watching it return as soon as you commence activities again.

Best of luck

[alophysio]

In addition to the above (which is good info!), a 'metdome' to support the transverse arch of the foot might help. Also, you might want to have it checked out for Morton's Neuroma...but that is unlikely - more likely to be a ligament sprain...

Good luck!

[physiobob]

yep you should be able to get an orthotic with a metatarsal dome built in to it. This would be the preference if the transverse arch look collapsed.

[[email protected]]

Thanks very much for the replies and advice.

I will be contacting my GP to get a referral to (hopefully) the University of Calgary Sports Med. facility where they will probably have seen this sort of thing before. looks like I'll be out of commission for a while yet. Better to get better first than to make the problem chronic.

Thanks again. I really appreciate the time and energy that you guys spend helping others.

I'll keep you up to date.

Caine

[alophysio]

Good luck - let us know how you go...

[[email protected]]

Well after a few more trips to the GP and an x-ray, it seems that I do not have any fracture in my foot, but it has been 2 weeks now with only a little improvement in my condition. I now have the option of seeing a physio therapist or see a podiatrist.

What would you guys (and gals of course) suggest as a first step?

Caine

[alophysio]

Hi - did you end up going to the sports med facility?

If you choose a physio, make sure they deal with feet a lot - podiatrists are experts at feet but not so good with the rest of the body. Physios are great at most parts of the body but few are experts at feet.

Ideally, you should have a good physio who can recommend a good podiatrist. This way, the physio can take i what the podiatrist is telling them about your feet and look for other areas in your body which may or may not be contributing.

Which is why i asked about the sports med facility - they should have both there for you with a sports med doc who can liase with both if required...

[[email protected]]

Unfortunately I need a referral from the doctor to get in to the sports medicine clinic, my GP is on his honey moon for another week and the doctor covering for him is the one I don't entirely trust and refuses to give me a referral to the sports med facility.

I know that the physio facility at the University doesn't require a referral and maybe they'll have enough dealings with athletes that they will be able to discover what is up . Since I'm not sure that I want to wait another week for my doc to get back and this is really affecting my day to day activities, I think I'll call the physio at the U and see how we do.

I'm sure glad that our company plan covers some physio.

C

[[email protected]]

I've been to two physio sessions now. My therapist thinks it is a strained ligament in the 4th metatarsal region. She thinks it was probably because of the pounding it took when one of the guys stomped my foot by accident with a cleat right on that 4th knuckle, pushing it well beyond it's natural downward motion. When she checked that joint for movement it was significantly looser than the neighbouring joints as well as the ones on the other foot.

It does seem that metatarsal support is helping. I can go into the evening with minimal or no pain with it.

So I'm out of commission for another couple weeks doing the towel-scrunching-with-toes exercise as well as picking up marbles with my bad toe.

Any other exercises that I might try to strengthen that area (since ligaments don't "shrink" back)?