pain in the left foot

by Anna Jones
(georgia)

i am fifteen and ran track for the first time this year and toward the end of the season i began to experience pain in my left foot. the pain started on the top of my foot near the toes and hurts the most closer to the big and second toes. along with this i noticed that the arch of my foot is swollen and has a sore feeling to it when i walk on it. my coach thinks it may be the beginning of a stress fracture because never gave it proper rest and the athletic trainer at my school says it is probably a neuroma and my nerves have just been irritated. do you know what it may be?

Hi Anna,
It could very well be a stress fracture and you most certainly should have an x-ray to rule that out and I would add you should not be running until the foot has been x-rayed.
If there is no fracture then the pain on top of your foot is probably tendonitis, but because you also mention you have swelling and pain in the arch you need to rule out stress fracture.
Marc Mitnick DPM