This is a tough question. I find that any stress put on my hands and feet seems to trigger some activity. I find the harder the sole and support in the feet, the less symtoms it seems to trigger. Flip flops are terrible. Running for me seemed to put stress, but i don' like running that much. Having said that, if you like running, happiness is important and don't stop because this disease should only force us to adapt our activities, not stop them. Maybe you will find running shoes that are more adapted to disease and maybe shortening the duration of your run when you feel some stress can help you do what you like.

Since I figured out that was happening to my feet several months ago. I have not found an answer to my walking question. I have not walked as much because my feet hurt, but I want to start walking as much as I was. I think I am going to try to walk more and see how much worse it gets. My GP has some more ideas for me to try, my podiatrist has fitted me for custom orthotics and has really offered nothing to help until my feet get worse. I think starting in the new year I am walking more and do more that my GP has talked about and find a new podiatrist unless those orthotics work magic.
Looks it is a downhill side to foot hell so might as well get there doing what I like to do.
I am using Verapamil Lipoderm 15% cream on my feet and I think it has helped some. I am going to get the custom orthotics some fine day maybe soon, but it feels like forever since I got fitted.

I wish you much luck.

Hello I am new to this forum but not new to either running or Ledderhose disease. I am a Caucasian male 54 years old. I am physically fit and have been running almost all of my life but at 6 foot and 200 pounds I know I am straining my joints and feet.

I ran my first and only Marathon in Berlin in 2004 and immediately thereafter I suffered from plantar's fasciitis but the rest of me was fine. My father had Dupuytren's in both hands and five years ago I had my left hand contracture operated on by a very skilled plastic surgeon. I have not had issues with my hands since then.

With active plantar fasciitis I was used to a level of discomfort that was localized to my arches in both feet but in the last 18 months I Started to notice more pain in my left foot and then on closer examination two small nodules that had grown on one of my metatarsals ( the second one from the inside of the foot). These nodules are hard and about the size of a pea, they hurt when I walk and I almost always walk in my hard plastic custom orthotics.

I have separate orthotics for my running shoes which were prescribed because of my plantar fasciitis. I run about 30 KM a week and do a long run of between 12-18 Km on the weekend. Here's the thing, my feet don't hurt when I run or even after I have stopped. They hurt a lot more after a sedate day in the office where I am walking in business shoes and my orthotics, I have started walking around the office in socked feet because of the pain my shoes cause me. Another phenomena I am experiencing is that my right knee kills me and it seems to be a pain shooting up from my foot and specifically my nodules.

I can feel it right now and will medicate with Advil or I will be in misery. I understand that surgery can be hit or miss so I am not advocating for that just yet. I find rolling a frozen bottle under my feet is good, it is the same treatment for plantar fasciitis.

So when I can I still run and my Dr has not advised me to stop. I ran a half marathon in Sept and felt fine but if I go shopping in a mall I can anticipate a night of both a sore foot and an aching knee.

Happy to hear other peoples experiences. Hope this helps.

Jojo

Hey Jojo, I'm probably not running as much as you, and at 5'9" and 125lbs not adding the same stress. Do you have high arches? My podiatrist seems to think that is a contributing factor. I don't experience any pain in my arches (yet) during a run either, but by the end of the day the generalized aching sets in. I'm getting new orthotics which will have a groove or channel running along the arch to accommodate the prominent fascia running along the arches of both feet, and small nodule growth. We'll see if it helps. You may want to ask your Dr about Transdermal Verapamil 15% Gel which is supposed to shrink the nodules or fibromas. Good luck!

Edited 01/01/14 01:19

Great topic...
I am 35 and have had LD in my feet since I was 16. I have always been active, and was advised by specialists to change my sports to cycling, swimming or other non weight bearing sports to avoid trauma to the feet.
Here I am almost 20 years later, still running - in fact, have even amped up the distances (run 2 marathons a year) and frequency (run at least 8km every day). In that time, I have had very little change to the LD despite thousands of kms and trauma. I do believe buying high quality running shoes makes a massive difference - I religiously wear Asics Kayanos and swear by them. I did swap into Brooks at one point but found issues with knees, hips, etc. I also regularly go to the chiropractor as well... One thing to be aware of is that your body can subconsciously compensate for the issues in the feet, causing rolling out of feet, strain on ankles knees hips etc.
I don't plan on stopping running. I'd rather run for as long as I can and be happy, than to give something up that I love so much because of all the 'what ifs'...