Metatarsalgia – how to treat it and prevent it

If this foot pain is affecting your daily life, find out what you can do to help treat it and stop it coming back.

What are the symptoms?

What causes it?

Self-care tips

When to see a doctor

What are the treatments?

Preventing metatarsalgia

Metatarsalgia is a condition that causes painful inflammation in the ball of your foot. Although it is not serious, it needs time and rest to get better, which can be frustrating. Find out how to ease the pain yourself – and when you may need a doctor.

Metatarsalgia is a pain in the ball of your foot. It’s a form of metatarsal pain that can affect the area around your five long metatarsal bones connecting the middle section of your foot to your toes.

If something happens to these bones it can cause pain and inflammation in the ball of your foot. Although it is not serious, it can feel achy and painful every time you walk or put pressure on it.

It is a common condition that usually gets better with self-care. However, seeing your doctor can help pinpoint what’s causing it so you can manage the condition or even prevent further bouts. 


## What are the symptoms?

Metatarsalgia is best described as pain in the ball of your foot – the part of the sole behind your toes.

This particular pain can feel sharp, achy, or burning. 

You may also notice:

- foot pain that gets worse when you put weight on it and stops when you rest
- numbness or tingling in your toes
- feeling as though there is a stone in your shoe or you are walking on pebbles. 

Your symptoms can affect both feet and they may feel worse when you’re standing, walking or running.

__Seek emergency treatment if your pain is severe, you can’t walk on your foot, your foot has changed shape, you heard a snap or popping noise when you injured it, you feel faint or sick from the pain. 
__


Get help with this

## What causes it?

A number of factors can cause metatarsalgia, including things that put pressure on this area, such as:

- __exercise__, such as running or high-impact activity 
- __wearing poor-fitting shoes__ or high heels 
- __being overweight __
- __conditions such as [arthritis](https://www.livehealthily.com/health-library/conditions/arthritis)__, [gout](https://www.livehealthily.com/health-library/conditions/gout), or [diabetes](https://www.livehealthily.com/health-library/conditions/diabetes) 
- __high arches__ – or a foot shape that puts pressure on the ball of the foot 
- __bunions or other foot deformities__, such as hammer toe or claw foot 
- __stress fractures__ – breaking a metatarsal or toe bone can change how you put weight on your foot 
- __getting older__ (due to a thinning fat pad under the ball of the foot).


## Self-care tips

There are lots of ways to help ease metatarsalgia pain, but always [see a doctor](https://www.livehealthily.com/health-library/conditions/metatarsalgia#when-to-see-a-doctor) if the pain is getting worse or self-care is not helping. 

Things you can try at home include:

- __resting__ – not always easy to do but whenever you can, let your foot have a complete break from movement 
- __putting your feet up__ – try to elevate your painful foot after you have been standing or walking
- __change your exercise regime__ – avoid high-impact sports such as running or classes and take the pressure off by switching to low-impact exercise such as cycling or swimming 
- __stretching__ – gentle foot and ankle exercises can help keep the area mobile during recovery 
- __icing the pain__ – use ice packs wrapped in a thin towel to help calm the inflammation in your foot. Ice the affected area for about 20 minutes a few times a day 
- __taking pain relief__ – such as ibuprofen to help reduce inflammation and related pain. 


## When to see a doctor

You may be able to manage metatarsalgia on your own but you should see a doctor if:

- your foot pain stops you doing your day-to-day activities 
- it is getting worse or keeps coming back
- It hasn’t got any better after 2 weeks of self-care 
- you experience tingling or numbness in your foot
- you have diabetes as well as foot pain – this condition means foot problems can be more serious. 

Your doctor may recommend an X-ray to rule out any fracture or other causes of your pain, such as Morton’s neuroma. This is a non-cancerous growth that can form around the metatarsal area and cause symptoms similar to metatarsalgia. 

Get emergency medical help if you have severe pain or swelling, you cannot walk or you heard a concerning noise, such as a snap or crack when the pain first started. These symptoms can indicate a more serious condition such as a broken bone. 


## What are the treatments?

In very rare cases, if metatarsalgia does not respond to self-care measures and you also have another condition, such as a foot deformity, surgery on your metatarsal bones may be required. 


## Preventing metatarsalgia

Unfortunately, anyone can get metatarsalgia at any age. 

To prevent metatarsalgia happening – or flaring up again  – you may need to change your usual footwear or make some adjustments to support your feet and take unnecessary strain or pressure off your metatarsal bones.

It can be a good idea to:

- wear shoes with plenty of room for your feet
- avoid wearing high heels
- wear insoles or shock-absorbing metatarsal pads 
- try arch supports in your shoes. 

Looking after your foot health and overall health, especially maintaining a healthy weight, can help too. 


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References

Juliet Blank

Jo Wheatley

Dr Emily Blount

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