Metatarsalgia (Pain in Ball of Foot)
Metatarsalgia is a foot condition where there is pain and inflammation along the ball of the foot. The condition can be caused by a variety of different factors that add pressure and stress to the ball of the foot. Common causes include wearing shoes that are too tight or narrow around the top of the foot, high heels that put more pressure on the front of the foot or shoes that lack the proper support. Other causes include engaging in high impact exercise and training as the front or ball of the foot absorbs a lot of the force during running and jumping.
Your physical make up also influences your chance of developing metatarsalgia with all of the following increasing your chance of developing the painful condition; if you are overweight, have a hammer toe, a bunion, a particularly high arch or Morton’s Neuroma.
Symptoms Metatarsalgia
People with metatarsalgia often complain of shooting pain from the ball of their feet to their toes, a burning pain in the ball of their foot and they say the condition is aggravated by running, walking and standing.
Metatarsalgia treatment
Once our Podiatrist has assessed your condition, a personalised treatment plan will be outlined. The Podiatrist may prescribe off the shelf or custom orthotics to help to relieve the pain felt in metatarsalgia as the orthotics redistribute the pressure and impact away from the ball of the foot. They may also make recommendations on your shoes to ensure you are wearing footwear that won’t aggravate your metatarsal area.
Our Podiatrist may suggest you take a break from any high impact exercise or sports you may be engaging in to give your feet a rest from the impact and resulting pain often caused by intense sports. Placing ice packs on the balls of your feet for 20 minutes a day can help to reduce inflammation and pain in the area that is caused by metatarsalgia. (Make sure to cover the ice pack with a thin towel to protect your skin).
Our Expertise
Our Podiatrist can assess your condition to try and determine the underlying cause of your metatarsalgia. Once the cause of condition is clear, a personalised treatment plan will be outlined for you.
Our Podiatrists have an extensive range of clinical experience in the treatment of metatarsalgia and will provide necessary treatment for this painful condition.
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