Pain around weird bone in new Scimitars

[swordwench]

Santa brought me some Scimitars for Christmas. The general feel and fit of the shoes is great. Except... they're absolutely killing me on my lead foot.

Know that bone that sticks out a bit on the inside, just below the big toe? Maybe at the top of the first metatarsil, but I'm not sure what it's really called. It's getting crushed in the shoe. Feels like somebody has clamped it in a vise. The rest of the fit on both feet is perfect, and I only notice that pain when I start to move around, which I like to do when I fence. (Some people might argue that point.)

After being in some pain again last night, I just decided to look at my feet. Huh - the bone on my right (lead) foot is HUGE compared to the one on the left. I don't really even SEE the one on the left. It's not even the foot I broke a year and a half ago. I don't know if it was always like that, or if I only notice it now because it's causing me pain. (I'm not always as observant as I should be.) Maybe my old Blades never caused me trouble because they were half a size too big?

Now, granted, I've only fenced in the new shoes about 3 times, and I hear that there is a break-in period, but I'm concerned that they're not going to stretch there at all. I'm also concerned that maybe I should visit my orthopod (I'm sure they know me on sight at this point), because I may have some freakish anomaly I didn't have before.

Has anyone else had a similar issue with the Scimitars, or that nameless bone in general? How did it get resolved? I want to keep the shoes because other than that, they fit like a glove, but I'd rather not hobble around after a few bouts.

[erooMynohtnA]

Sounds like a bunion. They make a lot of pads and stuff for that, but larger shoes are the best solution.

[Downtown]

The old " half size" to big shoes may be part of the answer.

Your feet may be swelling as you fence.

Hence....."hurtie" place.


Just taking a guess.

[swordwench]

Bah. The picture of a bunion in webmd pretty much mirrors what I have. When this thing even appeared, I have no idea. I never knew what a bunion looked like before I looked it up. I always pictured them as small and wart-like, not like my foot was trying to grow a second head.

Such a pity - the shoes feel so good in every other way. My feet were swimming in my old shoes, and I wound up with blisters where they chafed. I can't win, can I?

Maybe my orthopod can lop it off...

Thanks.

[Fencergrl]

Ah... S'Wench you reached the point in your life of bunions & sensible shoes... bladder control and hearing aids should be in your near future.

[lauragoodin]

I've had a bunion on my right foot since I was in my early 20s (so not an age thing, Fencergrl, although your comment was amusing). I have had good luck with that stuff you put on leather shoes to stretch them -- I put it on where the bunion is and wore the shoes around for a while. I am new to fencing so I don't know whether the Scimitars are leather or vinyl, but if vinyl, maybe there's some sort of shoe tree that you can add a bump onto to stretch the shoe at bunion point...?

-- Laura

[lindajdunn]

I have tailors bunions and my suggestion is to take the shoe to a shoe repair shop and have it professionally stretched. They can make it large enough that it no longer hurts.

Been there. Done that.

[MyrddinsPrecint]

Aaaaaaaaaaah bunions. It *might* have happened when you broke your other foot and then switched up how you were walking for a while. It can be an age thing, or not-- I've had them for as long as anyone can remember, so they don't have to be. Try to avoid wearing heels or shoes that pinch, but they won't operate (since all they can do is remove bone, and it's usually a good 6-10 weeks of hardcore rehab on a 20 year old, iirc) unless it's causeing you some serious pain. (one option is, well, basically what you're imagining, lopping it off so it's even with your foot. one option is taking out a wedge. depends on how bad it is. I am, of course, simplifying.)

I just switched to epee. No, really. Between the fact that I was better at epee, and I could actually walk the day after a tournament, epee was a better match for me.

In any case, there's a website somewhere where you can trade shoes with people who have different sized feet, you can take them to a cobbler to be stretched--I've never bothered, your bunion will stretch shoes out all on its own although as you've noticed, it's not very comfortable (and it'll destroy them more quickly as well).

In the meantime, there are plenty of drugstore products, some of which may provide some temporary relief.

In the future, when looking for dressy shoes that will fit and look nice, consider sandals with lots of little straps.

[fatfencer]

It's almost NEVER an age thing.

Typically it happens when women wear those ridiculously pointy dress shoes such that the bone in your big toe gets forced out to the side.

Also happens on the outside of the foot.

I'm not a foot person but I do get grossed out by bunions. It's like that person has 6 toes or something.

Time for a bit of minor surgery.

IN the mean time find a big rock and force it into the toe box of the shoe and expand it some.

If your foot looks like this:http://www.drfoot.co.uk/Bunion_Pictures.htm

Then ya done messed up.

FF

[Fencergrl]

I was teasing S'wench with the age thing... although my mention of "sensible" shoes was an indirect reference to part of the problem. While her feet may hurt in her fencing shoes I suspect it's her dress shoes/boots that are causing the real issue.

[swordwench]

Well! I'm glad to hear it's not an age thing. I was about to run out and get myself a package of Depends - maybe I'll just send them to fencergrl instead... I wonder how they have to be declared on the customs form?

No, ff, my feet do not look like the ones you linked to. That's just nasty.

MP, I wondered about the non-broken foot compensating for the broken one. It seems that when I tore my meniscus a few years ago, the other knee overcompensated and had issues for awhile, so it's quite possible. Also, the bunion-y foot is the one connected to the ankle I sprained *very badly* this past year (i.e., ~5 months down before I could fence again...), so I'm sure that didn't help.

I'm sure my tendency to wear shoes and boots with kicky heels has exacerbated this problem. While I'm not about to give those up cold-turkey anytime soon, I probably will take them to a reputable shoe guy to have them stretched. (Along with the Scimitars, of course, if they can do vinyl.) And I'll wear sensible shoes more often. I took a sabre lesson, then fenced several epee bouts in them last night, and they caused less pain than the week before. Perhaps there's hope after all. *sigh*

[Gav]

... ouch ...

Your foot looks like this?

http://askamericaspodiatrist.files.w.../12/bunion.jpg

omg.

[swordwench]

Your foot looks like this?

http://askamericaspodiatrist.files.w.../12/bunion.jpg

omg.

omg noooooo! That. Is. Horrible.

More like THIS (http://www.webmd.com/skin-problems-a...-foot-problems - slide #2), though far less pronounced.

I think I ought to see a podiatrist!

[fatfencer]

Your foot looks like this?

http://askamericaspodiatrist.files.w.../12/bunion.jpg

omg.

I have a pretty cast iron stomach Gav.... but that was just wrong. Hammertoed, fungused nails, AND bunions.

It's hard to imagine anyone purposely f-ing up their foot like that.

I remember years back, there was this person running around womens dorms, calling himself the 'toe sucking bandit'

Imagine running across these. I think if a person were of that persuasion... it would cure them of it INSTANTLY.

FF

[Gav]

Sorry guys ... I just couldn't resist.

And that wasn't the worst picture on the site I found that on... (yes it was the blog of a foot doctor).

[EldRick]

Bunion surgery is not "minor" - it is very painful and takes months to heal.

Without surgery you will have the bunion for a long time, and it will get worse, so you might as well prepare for it, by acquiring a "bunion stretcher" (maybe $25 online).

A bunion stretcher looks like a shoe tree with a bump which you can attach where your bunion sticks out. you use "Shoe Stretch" solution or rubbing alcohol to soften the leather, slip the stretcher into the shoe, and crank on the handle to expand the the fore-foot part horizontally and make a bulge in the shoe to fit your bunion.

Leave it to dry for a day or two, and the shoe will no longer put pressure on your bunion. It won't be quite as pretty, with a bump on the side, of course...

If you want to try this out, any shoe repair shop will do it for you for a few bucks - it's a common issue.

[fatfencer]

Bunion surgery is not "minor" - it is very painful and takes months to heal.

Without surgery you will have the bunion for a long time, and it will get worse, so you might as well prepare for it, by acquiring a "bunion stretcher" (maybe $25 online).

A bunion stretcher looks like a shoe tree with a bump which you can attach where your bunion sticks out. you use "Shoe Stretch" solution or rubbing alcohol to soften the leather, slip the stretcher into the shoe, and crank on the handle to expand the the fore-foot part horizontally and make a bulge in the shoe to fit your bunion.

Leave it to dry for a day or two, and the shoe will no longer put pressure on your bunion. It won't be quite as pretty, with a bump on the side, of course...

If you want to try this out, any shoe repair shop will do it for you for a few bucks - it's a common issue.

Compared to the pic that gav posted, even amputation would be minor considering how awful it is!!!

I think people with bunions should be just figger it out. Its not a hard thing to fix.

Pointy shoes with tiny toeboxes aren't sexy... when I see em I just think 'foot problems' and a woman who can't keep up while Im running to catch a cab.

Icky...

FF

[swordwench]

Wow, do-it-yourself bunion stretching - who knew? You can get anything online, can't you? The Scimitars bothered me a bit less the other night, if that's any consolation. They do appear to be stretching a bit on their own, but could use some help. I'll see if I can track one down.

Come to find out a friend of mine had surgery for a bunion several years back, and even showed me the before-and-after x-rays. He said it was a b*tch to heal, and it took a long while before he was running again. Translate that to me not fencing, and getting increasingly more short-tempered at home, and it's not a pretty picture. I've spent enough of the last few years sidelined with surgeries and sprains. That will be a last resort for sure.

[EldRick]

For non-leather shoes, a bunion-stretcher with a (carefully-used) heat gun or hair dryer will probably do the trick. If there is any padding on the inside where the bunion is squeezed, you might try removing a patch of the padding.

[fatfencer]

Wow, do-it-yourself bunion stretching - who knew? You can get anything online, can't you? The Scimitars bothered me a bit less the other night, if that's any consolation. They do appear to be stretching a bit on their own, but could use some help. I'll see if I can track one down.

Come to find out a friend of mine had surgery for a bunion several years back, and even showed me the before-and-after x-rays. He said it was a b*tch to heal, and it took a long while before he was running again. Translate that to me not fencing, and getting increasingly more short-tempered at home, and it's not a pretty picture. I've spent enough of the last few years sidelined with surgeries and sprains. That will be a last resort for sure.

You know the body is very resilient, if you get orthotics and stop wearing tiny shoes, the bunion might eventually get reabsorbed back into your body. I say might, but just putting your foot in some form of alignment will do wonders.

Often people with bunions have fallen arches or are just flatfooted. Orthotics are great.

And yes, stretch the shoe.

Take care of yer dogs and they will take care of you.

FF