Metatarsalgia

Metatarsalgia is a broad term to describe forefoot pain between the mid foot and toes. This area is commonly referred to as the ball-of-the-foot. One or more of the metatarsal heads may become painful and/or inflamed due to excessive pressure over a long period of time. pain is often caused from plantar flexed metatarsal, predislocation syndrome, improper fitting footwear, women's dress shoes and other restrictive footwear, participating in high impact activities and secondary to fat pad atrophy as a result of aging.
The first step in treating metatarsalgia is to determine the cause of the pain, while ruling out other common causes of foot pain, such as stress fracture and neuroma. A high, wide toe box or rocker bottom sole reduces stress on the ball-of-the-foot. There are a variety of foot-care products that may redistribute pressure to this area. Orthotics may be designed with a metatarsal pad built in to relieve pressure to the area. If conservative measures fail to resolve the pain, surgical options such as metatarsal head elevational osteotomies may be indicated.

This material is only provided as helpful information and you should always go to your medical doctor or podiatrist for a professional diagnosis.