man having foot pain while running on the road Dorsal neuritis is a foot condition in which runners present with symptoms consisting of burning, numbness, tingling, and sharp, shooting pain located on the top part of the foot. This annoying, painful condition affecting runners is due to compression or impingement of a sensory nerve located on the top (dorsal) aspect of your foot. The main nerves which innervate the skin of your dorsal foot (from the outside to the inside of the foot) are the:

  • Sural nerve

  • Intermediate Dorsal Cutaneous nerve 

  • Medial Dorsal Cutaneous nerve

  • Saphenous nerve

Any one of these nerves may be affected, which can be responsible for causing pain and discomfort.

Causes & Treatment:

  1. Bone spurs of one or more of the bones of the foot can cause impingement and compression on a cutaneous dorsal nerve on the top of your foot. Your podiatrist will take an x-ray of your foot to rule out this condition. Similarly, sometimes cysts can irritate nerves as well.

  2. Tight sneakers. Avoid purchasing running shoes that are too tight, even if they ‘feel good.’  Be wary of shoes with a ‘heavy tongue’ or that cause compression on the top of the foot: this should be noticed upon trying shoes on.

  3. Over-tightening shoe laces. Make sure you aren’t tying your laces too tight. The location of your shoe laces are right on top of where your dorsal cutaneous nerves lie, which can compress the nerves causing tingling, burning, and pain. If there is an area of pain on the top of a foot, re-route the laces to avoid or not run over the painful portion of the foot.

  4. Abnormal foot type. Runners who have biomechanical issues such as hyper-pronation (associated with flat feet) or over-supination (associated with high arched feet) might benefit from orthotic devices. Custom molded orthoses will stabilize and control abnormal foot positions while running, which will help to prevent unwanted stress and strain on the nerves on the top of your feet.

  5. Running with old, worn out shoes. The typical lifespan of running sneakers is about 300-500 miles of use before purchasing a new pair. Be smart. If you believe you have worn out your running sneakers to the point where you are now experiencing pain in new locations, it might be time for a new pair of shoes.

  6. Thick socks. Running socks are typically thinner than normal everyday socks which prevent against compression and pinching of the nerves on your feet. Experiment with this and see which brand of running socks you prefer best to alleviate the dorsal neuritis. 

Other treatment options:

  • Anti-inflammatories

  • Laser treatment

  • Corticosteroid injections 

  • Surgical options: decompression of the affected nerve or removal of impinging bone spurs  

If you are experiencing these symptoms and our treatment recommendations don’t help, we are here to help.  Call us at 406-721-4007.

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Take the First Step Toward a Pain-Free Future

If you’re suffering from foot and ankle pain, help is available. At Alpine Foot & Ankle Clinic, our foot and ankle podiatrist provides treatments go beyond typical offerings—giving patients access to world-class interventions right here under the Big Sky. Don’t travel to Seattle, Denver, or Salt Lake City for next-level podiatric care and pain relief. Get the highly skilled foot and ankle care needed to recover and return to your favorite activities closer to home. Contact us today to schedule an appointment at our Missoula podiatry office.