Do your shoes cause the ball of the foot to hurt? Is walking barefoot painful? You may be experiencing loss of the fat pad in your foot, or have bones that are more prominent than others (metatarsals). This prominence causes your weight to overload on those bones. Another possibility is that the plantar fascia, where it inserts in the ball of the foot, may be inflamed.
The medical term most often used to describe this pain is metatarsalgia. You are especially prone to metatarsalgia if you wear your shoes too narrow or they are not the proper length. A compromise of spinal nerves from tight shoes can cause a pinched nerve, often termed a neuroma, in the foot. If the pain persists you may need to call Nagler Foot Center or visit our website www.FootHouston.com.
Metatarsalgia can affect males and females of all ages. It is primarily related to repetitive stress and impacts on the foot, and often experienced by people who participate in intense physical activities, or training such as running, tennis, soccer and basketball. Metatarsalgia generally occurs from a single cause but other factors that may contribute to this condition. These include wearing ill-fitted shoes (high heels), having certain foot and toe shapes (high arches, a second toe that is longer than the first metatarsal), being overweight, or old age.
Call Houston’s Foot Doc for all your foot problems. 713.529.1010. www.HoustonsFootDoc.com
