Neuromas
A neuroma is an often painful enlargement of one of the body’s nerves. Though neuromas can develop in any part of the body, they most commonly occur... Read more
Educational Articles
Neuromas & Natural Foot Health
A neuroma is the thickening, or enlargement, of a nerve segment. Neuromas can develop in any part of the body, states Dr. Ray McClanahan, a natural sports podiatrist at Northwest Foot and Ankle and the inventor of Correct Toes, in this informative video, though they tend to occur with greater frequency in certain parts of the foot. Conventional footwear, notes Dr. Ray, is one of the leading causes of nerve enlargements in the foot due to several detrimental design elements commonly included in shoes and boots. Dr. Ray does an excellent job in this video of explaining the factors that contribute to neuroma formation and foot pain.
Disclaimer:
The above content is for educational or informational purposes only and is not intended to replace or augment professional medical instruction, diagnosis, or treatment. Read full disclaimer here.About the Author
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Neuromas: Conventional vs. Natural Approaches
In this video, Dr. Ray McClanahan, a sports podiatrist at Northwest Foot and Ankle and the inventor of Correct Toes, discusses foot neuromas. A neuroma is an... Read more
WANT TO IMPROVE YOUR FOOT HEALTH?
Let the team at Natural Footgear help you! Subscribe to our newsletter for the latest offers and helpful info, and sign up for our FREE email courses on various topics and foot health conditions.
Essential Footgear:
$65.00
$10.00
$14.00
$70.00
$30.00
$30.00
I’m happy to find you!!!
Looking forward to visit with you. I’ve been an Ultra runner for a lot of years. It’s hard to find running shoes that are wide enough for normal toe spread. Altra shoes are working great for me now.
See ya soon!
Hi, Joe,
I’m pleased to make your acquaintance! Thank you for reaching out and contacting us. We always appreciate the perspective of longtime ultra runners, and I believe that many ultra runners are indeed thankful to find footwear options that accommodate natural toe splay.
Let me know if you have any questions about any aspect of the Natural Footgear site; I’m happy to help however I can!
Kind regards,
Marty Hughes, DC
Is there a podiatrist in the Dayton, OH or Cincinnati, OH area who is familiar with your products?
Hi, Tom,
Thank you for your comment. Unfortunately, we are not aware of any podiatrists (or other practitioners) in the Dayton or Cincinnati areas who practice natural foot health or use any of the products we offer on the Natural Footgear site. Two practitioners in Columbus, Robin Hunter, DC, and Lisa Gillispie, LMT, are familiar with Correct Toes and how it can be used to help rehabilitate the foot, so it may be worth reaching out to them. Just a thought! My apologies that I couldn’t be more helpful.
Kind regards,
Marty Hughes, DC
I have a Morton’s neuroma. The foot doctor made me some inserts that have not helped a bit. I am very interested in finding out more about your products. I am not ready to start cortisone injections or entertain surgery. Suggestions please.
Hi, Jeannie,
Thank you for your comment. Our best advice is to check out this article from our blog:
www.naturalfootgear.com/blogs/education/17888848-neuromas
In it, you’ll find comprehensive information on causes and symptoms, as well as recommendations for foot-healthy treatments.
I hope this is helpful. If you have further questions or concerns, just send them our way!
Kind Regards,
Andrew Potter
OH WOW! So happy to come across your website! My mother’s poor feet have had so many surgeries (rods in her toes, as they are all facing to the right on the R foot and to the left on the L foot). The doctors have destroyed her feet and I’m wondering if it’s too late to turn her feet around? Me too, on the never ending foot pain, mainly around the outer edge of my heels. Nothing can touch my heels while I’m resting. The back of my ankle has to be on a pillow and my feet hanging in the air. I feel a ripping, tearing pain on the top of my foot, so shoe laces have to be very loose.
The doctors in our area want only to cut, cut, cut!!!! I had a Morton’s neuroma removed from between toes 3 and 4 on the left, a ganglion tumor removed from the arch (which dropped my arch) on the right, and numerous bone spur removals on both heels. All these surgeries from 6-15 years ago … and the pain never stops! I am going to be buying several products from you right now. I just put cotton balls between my toes, and it actually feels good! But I’m sure I will need something more stable. I’m ohhh so excited! THANK YOU!!! Box-toed shoes will be on my feet in the near future! Just hoping it’s not too late for my mother’s poor feet!
Hi, Elaine,
Thank you for your message and your kind words! We’re excited to hear that you’re looking into natural foot health solutions. While we could offer a plethora of tips and advice for managing these problems, we think it would be best for you to first check out this comprehensive article from our blog entitled Six Ways to Restore Foot Health After Surgery:
www.naturalfootgear.com/blogs/education/17914760-six-ways-to-restore-foot-health-after-surgery
This article addresses the effects of various surgeries, and discusses natural approaches for a variety of specific problems. If you have any further questions or concerns moving forward, please feel free to contact us at info@naturalfootgear.com. We’re happy to help out any way we can!
Kind Regards,
Andrew Potter
The biggest mistake I have made (so far) in life is being convinced (by 5 orthopods) that I needed foot surgery. I had bunions, hammertoes, neuromas, and sagging metatarsals. My feet would get pretty uncomfortable after a 6 hr hike or long run.
Now after surgery 15 years ago, I have almost constant pain just walking or standing, a surgically-induced hammertoe that didn’t previously exist, dropped toes, stiff toes, ankle alignment problems, and bone pain. It’s a good thing I’m an optimist and seem to have a reasonable ability to ignore pain. I am ordering some of your products with great hope :>) and wondering if you have any recommendations for natural leaning doctors in Marin County, CA or the SF Bay area. Many thanks!
Hi, Maryann,
Thank you for your message. And thank you for sharing a little bit about your foot health journey. I hope that natural foot health products and practices help you experience great results.
In terms of finding a practitioner in your area who understands natural foot health concepts, my best recommendation is to scan this list:
www.nwfootankle.com/resources/122-healthcare-providers
Good luck to you on your journey toward optimal foot health!
Kind regards,
Marty Hughes, DC
For neuromas, can you comment if applying heat or ice is at all helpful? Thank you.
Hi, Denise,
Thank you for your comment. Some practitioners recommend using a cold pack (in combination with a thin cloth to create a barrier between the cold pack and the skin) on the affected area for 10-15 minutes at a time. Other practitioners find contrast therapy (i.e., alternating between heating pads and cold packs) to be helpful in reducing neuroma-related discomfort.
In our experience, we’ve found that the most effective and longest-lasting changes come with a change in footwear, to foot-healthy shoes or boots that eliminate the pinch and stretch forces on the foot that cause neuromas in the first place. Toe spacers and metatarsal pads, in combination with key foot exercises, are another important part of a natural approach to neuromas.
For more detailed information about heat or ice for neuromas, my best recommendation is to consult a naturally-minded healthcare provider in your area.
Kind regards,
Marty Hughes, DC
I’m thrilled to find your website and this wealth of information supporting what I have discovered on my own: that conventional podiatric advice on foot neuromas and plantar fasciitis is useless.
I have been advised to wear elevated heels to cure and prevent plantar fasciitis, and to wear thick-soled shoes with toe spring—with no attention given to heel elevation or toe box taper—to deal with a Morton’s neuroma. And yet doing so makes it worse, clearly and immediately.
And the best cure/prevention for plantar fasciitis has been to strengthen the muscles of my feet and allow them to work when I am walking.
Thus began my quest for shoes that don’t compress, distort, and immobilize my toes, forefoot, or arches. Thanks to your website, I’ve found Altra shoes, which fit me and feel wonderful.
I only wish there were more foot-healthy shoes available in wide widths, and also that I could find a pair of waterproof boots that I could stand to wear. —Karen G. Krueger
Hi, Karen,
Thank you for your message. And thank you for your kind words! We’re sorry to hear that you’ve been dealing with pain, but we’re happy to hear that you’re seeing positive results with more natural methods.
Correct Toes toe spacers can also be very helpful for neuromas and plantar fasciois, and they can be worn inside Altra shoes. You can find our Correct Toes offerings here:
www.naturalfootgear.com/collections/correct-toes
As for waterproof boots, the Lems Boulder Boots that we carry aren’t fully waterproof (only water-resistant), but a lot of people have made them more impermeable by using an aftermarket product (such as Nikwax). One possible option in terms of a minimalist and waterproof boot is the Kuuva 4 Boot by Feelmax.
I hope this information is helpful. If you have any further questions, please do let us know!
Kind Regards,
Andrew Potter
Thank you for the great resource! I have been wearing Crocs and OESH shoes for several months, but I am still bothered by an interdigital neuroma (self-diagnosed). I have noticed that it really hurts upon waking in the morning, which seems strange. I will be purchasing Correct Toes soon and will also be saving up to try some shoes. I work on concrete floors 5-6 hours per day a few days per week. I will keep watching these videos, but if there is anything else you can advise, I am all ears. Thank you!
Hi, Kate,
Thank you so much for your comment and your kind words! I’m happy to hear the information has been helpful for you.
Using Correct Toes in combination with truly foot-healthy footwear is, in our experience, the most helpful way to achieve optimal foot health and address problems like neuromas. I’d recommend checking out the article below, as it contains pertinent info for folks making the transition to minimalist (or more minimalist-like) footwear:
www.naturalfootgear.com/blogs/education/17888528-how-to-transition-to-minimalist-shoes
Also, here are our women’s footwear offerings:
www.naturalfootgear.com/collections/womens-shoes
And you can find Correct Toes toe spacers here:
www.naturalfootgear.com/collections/correct-toes
Please let us know if you have any other questions!
All best,
Marty Hughes, DC
I wear Correct Toes, but what else should I do for my neuroma? Will Correct Toes be enough?
Hi, Barbara,
Thank you for reaching out to us. Using Correct Toes toe spacers is indeed an important part of addressing an existing neuroma, but there are plenty of other things you can do to help the process along as well. This video goes into more detail about strategies you can employ to reduce neuroma-related pain and to speed healing:
www.naturalfootgear.com/blogs/educational-articles/neuromas-conventional-vs-natural-approaches
We’re here if any additional questions arise after viewing the above video.
Kind regards,
Marty Hughes, DC