Metatarsalgia

Metatarsalgia is a term used to describe a painful or inflamed condition in the metatarsal region of the foot. This is the area of the foot just under the metatarsal joints or more commonly referred to as the ball of the foot. This is a common condition that can affect the bones, joints, and surrounding tissue of the ball of the foot. Metatarsalgia can affect the entire area but is usually located mostly under the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th metatarsal area.

It is common to experience acute, recurrent, or chronic pain under one or more of the metatarsal heads, usually due to excessive pressure over a long period of time. Metatarsalgia pain is often caused from problems like Morton's Toe, a foot that dysfunctions biomechanically such as in Over Pronation, loss of fat pad in the ball of the foot, or rigid High Arches. Loss of fat pad reduces protection to the bones. This is common with age and/or a person that has a job working on their feet. Rigid High Arches suffer excessive pressure in the metatarsal area due to lack of flexibility of the foot, thus creating biomechanical dysfunctions. A rigid foot can only be helped with accommodated support. High impact activity without properly fitting footwear and support is another factor that can cause metatarsalgia. Properly fitting footwear is key to relieving and preventing Metatarsalgia. Most frequently, women's dress shoes and other restrictive footwear with a narrow toes box and high heels forces the ball of the foot to be crowded into a minimal amount of space. This constricts blood flow, inhibits the walking process, and can lead to extreme discomfort and inflammation in the forefoot, thus creating Metatarsalgia.

The first step in relieving Metatarsalgia is to select proper fitting footwear with a less restrictive toe box. Also reduce the heel height of your footwear. High heels put more pressure on the forefoot area and in the case of a Metatarsalgia, you must reduce forefoot pressure for relief. The second step, and most important, is choosing the ultra light custom fitted ezWalker™ to support the hind foot, secure the arch, and at the same time, unload the forefoot. This will provide stability, balance, release pressure, and bring relief to Metatarsalgia. For extra relief, add a metatarsal pad to release even more pressure on the fore foot. A metatarsal pad supports the transverse arch, or the metatarsal arch, of the foot and has a minimal charge with maximum benefits. With the use of an ezWalker™ you can say goodbye to forefoot pain and hello to comfort.

Feet are constantly changing as we age. Have your fit checked regularly and remember the size on the measuring device is only a reference. Mass manufactured shoes are NOT all created equal. Refer to the Shoe Fitting Reference Guide for proper guidelines on how to best fit your shoes.

If you are following these guidelines and are still having sever pain in the forefoot area you must consult a physician for a proper diagnosis and treatment.