What Is Metatarsalgia?
Hammertoe deformity
Hypermobile first foot bone
Tight inflamed nerve causes pain. Morton’s neuroma can also cause toe numbness in addition to pain in your forefoot.
Metatarsalgia Risk Factors
In the U.S., forefoot injuries, including metatarsalgia, are common in athletes who participate in high-impact sports. Activities that involve running or jumping are most often to blame. While track and field runners are most at risk, other athletes, including tennis, football, baseball, and soccer players, often get forefoot injuries.
Other factors that raise your odds of metatarsal pain include:
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Having a high arch
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Wearing high heels
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Certain illnesses that cause joint inflammation, like osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis and gout
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Age. The fat pad that cushions the ball of your foot gets thinner over time
Metatarsalgia Diagnosis
X-rays may help your doctor rule out other causes of forefoot pain. A bone scan can pinpoint places of inflammation.
causes of pain in your metatarsal and midfoot regions. These can include traumatic disorders, circulatory conditions, ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin, Nuprin) or (Aleve, Naprosyn), can relieve pain in the short term.
If a pinched nerve is the cause of your pain, the doctor may try a nerve block in combination with long-acting steroids.
Recovery
Once the pain is gone, you can increase stretching and strengthening exercises and gradually get back to normal activity. Try a low-impact type of exercise at first, like swimming.
Metatarsalgia Complications
Metatarsalgia can lead to other problems if you don’t treat it. You’re likely to change the way you walk to take pressure off the painful spot on your foot. That can cause pain elsewhere in your foot or in your other foot, and all the way to your lower back or hips. You can even develop a hammertoe.
Metatarsalgia Outlook
Most people recover from metatarsalgia with treatment. But you need to understand what caused it in your case and take steps to keep it from coming back.
Metatarsalgia Re-injury Prevention
Taking good care of your feet can help you avoid another bout with metatarsalgia.
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Get shoes that fit correctly. If you run a lot, get new shoes often.
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Don’t wear high heels.
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Use pads, arch supports or other orthotics your doctor recommends.
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Keep calluses from building up. You can soak your feet and gently rub the area with a pumice stone.
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Get to a healthy weight.
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Increase the amount and intensity of athletic activity gradually.
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Always stretch and warm up before you exercise.