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Sharp pain in small toe when stretching

Discussion in 'Ask your questions here' started by jmlavoie, Apr 10, 2011.

  1. jmlavoie

    jmlavoie New Member


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    I few weeks ago I noticed a sharp pain in my small toe of my left foot when stretching. The first time this happened I was laying facedown in bed and stretched my feet, curling and point my toes out and pushing them down against the mattress to help my feet stretch further. It is just a habit I have sometimes when stretching in bed and that is when I first noticed the pain. It felt like I had irritated a scrape along the top of my toe but I found no such injury there.

    • The pain feels like a burning sensation.
    • It occurs on the top of my foot.
    • It travels from the base of my little toe inward in an area of about 1-2 inches.
    • It only happens when I curl and point my toes to stretch my foot as far as I can.
    • If I keep stretching and struggle through the pain it will go away and I can stretch it again with no pain. However, it will return later in the day or the following day.
    • It only occurs in my left foot.
    • The threshold of pain is the equivalent to stubbing your toe on a piece of furniture but it is not the same type of pain. Like I said, it feels more like burning.
    • The pain never occurs during normal activity or exercise. It doesn't even occur if I point my toes normally. It's only when I go that extra 1/2 inch to get a good stretch.

    I am:
    5'10, 240lbs, 37 years old, right handed, usually wear running shoes (Adidas), I just started working out again (pain started prior to this), been told I have flat feet and a high arch on the upper part of my foot. Hope this info helps.

    Thanks!
     
  2. TOG Orthotics

    TOG Orthotics New Member

    It might be a good idea to stop stretching the feet in that way and leave it for a while.
     
  3. Unregistered

    Unregistered Guest

    I have the same problem in toes 2 & 3 of my left foot, exactly as you describe it. the pain, (burning?? very hard to describe) becomes less severe after continued stretching. It feels as if the tendons have tightened and gradually loosen with each stretch.

    The funny thing is it causes no problems with everyday life or even working out. Only when I intentionally stretch my foot forward and curl my toes. which seems to have become a habit to see if the pain is still there.

    Sorry I cant shed any light as to what the problem is, but it seems we both have the same symptoms.

    cheers
    Brendan
     
  4. Unregistered

    Unregistered Guest

    I am experiencing the same issue. When I flex my ankle, I get this sharp pain in my baby toe. It happens when I point my toe and then point it inward towards my other foot. It's been going on for maybe a couple weeks now. I'm 27, 5'7'' and 115 lBs. It's a nuisance because I get ankle pain if I don't stretch my ankles out really well before going for a run.
     
  5. Unregistered

    Unregistered Guest

    I am experiencing the exact same symptoms. Sharp pain in the pinky toe on my right foot, but only when I fully extend my leg, point my toes, and then turn my foot in towards my left leg. And then BAM, really sharp pain in the pinky toe and the outside of my foot. The toe is not numb, can still bend and flex on its own, there's no discoloration or bruising that I can see, and it doesn't hurt at any other time.

    Now that we all feel better knowing that others are feeling the same thing, who knows what it is?!?!
     
  6. Unregistered

    Unregistered Guest

    I have the EXACT same symptoms as the last poster. The major nerve that hit that part of the toe travels up the leg. I've started doing a lot more running and weight training and I think the nerve is being hit somewhere else up the leg. Still looking for an answer though.
     
  7. Unregistered

    Unregistered Guest

    I literally have the exact same issues and was so glad to see that I'm not the only one. Any ideas on how to make this go away or should I be worried at all?
     
  8. Unregistered

    Unregistered Guest

    I originally posted on 16th May 2011 03:40 PM. My toe pain went away, and I never sought treatment. At the time, I started taking sub-lingual B12 vitamins, which I thought maybe contributed to the pain going away. I had reason to believe I had a B12 deficiency (which supposedly can cause nerve damage), so that's why I started taking them. I don't know if the B12 caused the pain to go away, or if it was just a coincidence.
     
  9. robertharris750

    robertharris750 New Member

  10. Unregistered

    Unregistered Guest

    I have the exact same symptoms on my left pinky toe, i.e. only when stretching, not during any normal or sports activities. Thought I would check online, not expecting much, shocked by how many of you have the same symptoms. Perhaps we were all abducted by a clever alien ; )

    I'm going the take the advice of an old joke: "doctor, it's extremely painful when I stretch my toes like this" [stretch toes and wince]; doctor "so don't stretch your toes like that"
     
  11. Seamus

    Seamus Guest

    Hi, I suffer the exact same symptoms in the little toe on my right foot.
    I have also been diagnosed with Haemochromatosis(iron overload) which can have symptoms of joint pain and I was wondering if that was a factor. Do any of the other sufferers have Haemochromatosis
     
  12. Melissa

    Melissa Guest

    I have the exact same issue, but now it is both feet. A burning/painful feeling, the outside top of my foot, I guess something to do with my pinky/little toe, just like all of the others have said. It burns/hurts until you get through it and then it's fine and I can stretch or curl until if I continue to do it until the next time and the same buring/painful feeling happens again and I have to push through it. Has anyone found out the reason or a solution?
     
  13. Andrew K

    Andrew K Guest

    I too have the same symptoms. When I curl my foot inwards towards my other foot, I feel a sharp pain in my pinky toe almost like a muscle is tearing. Its not excruciating, but it doesn't feel good. I haven't pushed through the pain enough to see what would happen to really stretch it out. I'm worried something will actually tear. After a few rotations of the ankle it seems to go away, until the next day.

    I'm 30 y/o white male 5' 11" 275 lbs.
     
  14. Erika stl

    Erika stl Guest

    Same issue here on left foot. I wondered if I pinched a nerve and it gets further pinched when I curl my toes. I need relief. When it happens it's soo painful. Not just sore but truly breathtaking. Stop curling and it's gone. The answer can't be to just not curl my toes. Has anyone found an answer to what causes?
     
  15. burningpinky

    burningpinky New Member

    I wish there was a diagnosis/answer to this issue. I too am having exactly the same symptoms, and it is annoying. If I stretch my wrist/arms I can even get the same burning sensation in my right hand pinky (but not as readily as on my right foot).
     
  16. David Thomas

    David Thomas Guest

    Exactly the same issue! I point my toes out and turn inwards and get severe pain actionable top of my foot like a burning sensation. Had it a few months now and I think there's some numbness there too so possibly a trapped nerve issue?
     
  17. flashly79

    flashly79 Guest

    Why is it that so many people feel the need to reply to these threads and supply absolutely nothing more than the fact that they are having the exact same symptoms. There is nothing new to what they offer, they just help to add more and more nothing to a string of information that is eventually nothing, and has nothing to do with an answer. Sorry, I just posted about nothing.
     
  18. elma

    elma Guest

     
  19. Brett

    Brett Guest

    I noticed that when I stretched my leg out in bed my right pinky toe would burn instantly until I bent my leg, been dealing with this for a couple weeks. This article helped me out on getting an idea of what to do:

    http://www.michiganfootdoctors.com/sharp-shooting-pain-little-toe/

    I have noticed my right leg being tight recently, I'm on my feet all day at work so stretching and massaging will hopefully help.
     
  20. Ihadto

    Ihadto Guest

    I love everything about this comment. Hopefully, future visitors to this post will read to the bottom where the only helpful comment is, haha.
     
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