Causes of Ball of Foot Pain
For the most part it is easy to take action when you have minor aches and pains. A pain reliever can ease a headache, icing can soothe inflamed muscles after activity, and rest does a body good when recuperating from a strenuous day. When pain arises in your foot, and you can’t see what is going on or remember an acute injury of any kind, it can be difficult to know what to do about it. Being able to identify causes of ball of the foot pain is the first step in seeking the right kind of treatment.
Pain in the ball of the foot can actually derive from several different causes. Over time the fat pad in the sole of your foot can thin out and not protect you as well from the impact of your steps. Having a foot problem such as bunions or hammertoes can mean your foot doesn’t bear your weight evenly, putting extra pressure on the forefoot. Wearing ill-fitting shoes, certain abnormalities, diabetes, arthritis, and obesity can be factors as well.
Most commonly, pain in this part of the foot comes from metatarsalgia, Morton’s neuroma, or a stress fracture. The first involves pressure put on the metatarsal bones in your foot, which can come from a number of different causes. Morton’s neuroma is a swollen nerve that results from repeated irritation or being pinched between the metatarsals, and a stress fracture is a hairline break in a bone which occurs over time from repeated stress.
We treat patients with these conditions on a regular basis and have effective, conservative treatment options that work. We can quickly find the source of your pain and get your feet feeling great once again. Don’t waste too much time playing detective while your symptoms worsen; early treatment means a quicker recovery. Call Family Foot Care & Surgery in Milford, CT at 203-876-7736 or in Hamden, CT at 203-288-4055 to make an appointment with expert podiatrist Dr. Sanjay Patel.