Looking for a running shoe for literal daily function, not running or high mileage.

I have issues with the sesamoid areas of my big toes (confirmed - not looking for med advice) and need a unicorn shoe that meets the following:

• Wide toe box, especially at the "bunion-to-bunion" space (the ball of foot)
• Low heel to toe drop (does not have to be 0 drop; 5mm or so is fine)
• Rocker sole (late-stage)
• Limited flex in forefoot

For my issues, it seems people who can make the Hoka Bondi work do really well because it still has room for orthotics or met pads. However, I can't because my feet push into the sides and over the edges. Extra wide is too wide in the heel and my heel slips out.

Others like the Altra Olympus, but I have some outer ankle/calf issues and tight calves and don't want to risk a secondary injury jumping to it's 0 drop. (Although an insole with some heel drop might help?)

I tried the Altra Via FWD and it was OK, but I still felt like my forefoot pushed out a bit against the fabric on the edges (where bunions would be), it's a little more flexible in the forefoot and can't fit a carbon fiber insert in the Altra Via FWD easily with cushioned insoles/met pads because my arch is quite high and the shoe is full.

I feel like I'm looking for a shoe unicorn. Basically a Hoka Bondi with less squishy cushion (feels unstable to me), same rigidity, more toe box room.

Topos seem like the closest thing but have not seen many recommendations for them in the r/sesamoid sub I frequent so I don't know.

Hi everyone,

I've BME in both sesamoids on my right foot, along with some chronic overload to the area (sclerosis, chondromalacia - aka arthritis at the sesamoids and not the big toe itself). Radiologist and ortho both say they do not think I have any fractures or stress fractures based on the MRI and how it's both, though I have seen some say their docs say you can't have one without the other.

While going non-weight-bearing with a scooter/crutches for the past 2.5 weeks + some limping before then, I now have some symptoms on my other foot. Hoping to keep this at bay, but feeling incredibly pessimistic. I am convinced I'm now destined for a lifetime of disability.

My mental health desperately needs success stories (even if success is just that you can do every day things but not run or jump) about the following:

• Chronic overload/sesamoiditis
• Bone marrow edema
• Treating two sesamoids in one foot or treating sesamoid issues in both feet
• Big toe fusion / surgery for double sesamoid issues
• Going from never thinking you'll be OK again to being OK

While your experiences are super valid and I'm glad these stories have been shared elsewhere, please do not share about:

• No success/eternal suffering (I am SO sorry, and I know that's a real risk for me, but I need hope right now even if it's a long shot)
• Obvious single fracture/acute injury healing - this is not my injury
• Sesamoidectomy for only a single sesamoid (so happy for you, but I am not eligible so it's not helpful for my mental health)

Thank you so much, and healing vibes to all.

Hello everyone,
I have a 1st MTP/interspace injury that requires the following in a shoe:

• Firm forefoot (as little toe bend as possible, but adding a carbon fiber plate causes other issues)
• As wide as possible in the toe box and "bunion areas"
• meta rocker

I have heard for similar issues that people have success with the FWD Via, the Olympus, and the Torin. I have only tried the FWD Via because I worried about going zero drop for some tight calf issues. it was fine but the heel wore out quickly so looking to replace it, but I need to add an arch support insert since I have high arches which also contribute to my issues.

I'm not sure if any other models might also fit the bill.

I'm currently wearing a Hoka Bondi wide for its excellent lack of forefoot bend but find that it's a bit narrow right at the widest part of my forefoot and makes my ankles sort of supinate out (maybe because of how cushioned it is or how the cushion is).

Or would Topo be better for me?

I'm convinced something is missing from my puzzle.

Three weeks in. Have been offloading as much as I can but still get pain when foot touches ground or when poking.

BUT I have NO PAIN when pressing on the actual sesamoid bones. Two doctors have really shoved up against them and couldn't recreate pain.

Initially, my pain was when walking, with a little sharp pinpoint pinch and no pain to touch. After I offloaded, it became more of a bruised feeling when there's light to moderate pressure underfoot but it's all in the soft tissues area. Where I have pain, it is soft, and I can press in hard and the pain sort of shifts. It's not quite between the two toes, but it's close. I have absolutely NO pain in the two little bones and never have.

My MRI shows swelling basically everywhere, with bone marrow edema, but again. No pain ON THE BONES.

I cannot see a single instance of anyone else with this issue on this sub. I see where maybe people have pain in the bone AND it extends, but not where the pain is only right off the bones.

It's making me really antsy about diagnosis. Were my sesamoid bones ticking time bombs but they're actually not painful right now?

Has anyone gotten diagnostic ultrasound to see what's really going on inside their foot? Where did you go?

I have bone marrow edema in both my sesamoids on the affected foot. However, no dancer pad or orthotic setup is useful because the pain I have is not on the sesamoid bones. My pain is just distal (toward the toes) and slightly even more lateral than the fibular sesamoid.

Imagine aligning a dancer pad to offload both sesamoids. The pain I have is on the edge of the pad. The pad initially seems to help for a while as I walk, but then the pressure pain I have there returns and is more swollen after wearing the pad. All the fluid is pushed up into the space, and it's angry. So ultimately area I actually have pain is actually worsened by the top edge of the pad, with the painful area shown when pad is placed exactly like in this photo:

https://preview.redd.it/il43lnwfh43h1.png?width=585&format=png&auto=webp&s=89260bb6f42fad5d2470fcc56b78419f4e0164f1

I also tried to cut a hole in an insole, and in a shoe. I've tried a boot, but since the painful spot is either under a pad or directly on the boot, no bueno. Again, the space that DOES touch the insole, or the edge of the hole, is what hurts. And again, at first it may seem it's helping, but then the pain is worse later. This means I have no offloading option. Making a bigger hole to include outside of that area creates a complete dip into the hole, and the tibial sesamoid drops down (and I don't want to start having pain there, knowing it's got edema) in and my toe has to work really hard.

I want to see if main pain driver is something less sesamoid-y and something more sesamoid-adjacenty, like adventitial bursitis at or between the toes or scar tissue from one of my toe injuries in the past as thats the location of my pain at those times as well. My MRI shows a lot going on at this area, but no damage to the plantar plate itself.

I've seen two orthopedic surgeons who, upon determining it's on the lateral side at my first meeting with them, have said they'd remove the bone with the pain where it is, but that seems... very confident when neither sesamoid is painful. I'd like to get more exploratory info if I can, and looking for peoples' experiences with that.

Or if anyone else has any thoughts, I am open to them! Really frustrated with an inability to offload the very minor but very real pressure pain I have. Without getting the pain to stop on stepping, I don't think I'm healing anything but I'm just laying around. Willing to try things.

Howdy, folks.

Struggling to properly offload specific area where I have pain. I have circled it on the diagram.

Anyone else have pressure pain primarily here, not directly on the base of the sesamoid bones? MRI shows involvement of entire sesamoid articular complex (both sesamoids inflamed, subchondral changes) but this is where my pain appears. Doc still called it fibular sesamoiditis. Using a dancer pad helps for a while but kind of pushes all the tissue into the spot, and putting it further out toward the pinky toe doesn't offload anything. My issue is I can't really offload it in the boot or shoes because pad placement just isn't working.

Anything think I would be a better candidate for the hole in shoe/insole thing instead of dancer pad? Any suggestions on how to do that? Can't get custom orthotics for a while, because I can't drive and have no access to pedorthist right now. Looking for something in the meantime.

I assume a regular oval met pad behind that area would just put all the weight directly on the ball, huh?

**Bonus question - anyone have pain that improves when pressed into? When pressing lightly or walking, the spot hurts like a bruise. But I can press into it and make it go away, When I press on my painful spot, harder pressing helps, then it comes back (often worse later or next day because I angered it). Or maybe this is common?

https://preview.redd.it/ihwvpvy32p2h1.png?width=252&format=png&auto=webp&s=5b78d43931298e28e46f519e99bb2785ad304149