What is Metatarsalgia?
Metatarsalgia is when an individual has inflammation and painful sensations in the ball of their foot, the region between the toes and foot arches. The metatarsal bones are designed to equally share the weight of a person during walking and daily activities. When this delicate balance between bones is disrupted, the result can be mild to intense foot pain.
What are the Causes of Metatarsalgia?
- An enlarged metatarsal head.
- Arthritis or degenerative disease of the joints.
- Conditions such as diabetes can cause nerve-type pain in the foot.
- Obesity
- Bunions or hammer toes
- Intense training.
- Ill-fitting shoes that put pressure on the bones of the feet.
- High arches
Symptoms of Metatarsalgia
- Chronic pain in the ball of the foot
- Discomfort when wearing shoes and socks.
- Inflammation
- Tingling and numbness in toes
- Pain during activities where an impact is applied to the foot, such as running.
What are the treatment options for metatarsalgia?
If you have any of the symptoms indicating metatarsalgia, anti-inflammatory medication will help with the pain as will icing to help reduce the inflammation. You should also avoid intense activities that put pressure on the foot.
If your symptoms continue to persist, it would be advisable to consult a physiotherapist to get your foot assessed and treated. Our physiotherapists at Triangle Physiotherapy have experience treating metatarsalgia and can recommend the most appropriate treatment plan to relieve you of your pain and get you back to your normal activities.
If you have symptoms related to metatarsalgia, book an appointment to consult one of our expert physiotherapists.
