Ball of the foot

Ball of the foot pain is most commonly Interdigital neuroma

More commonly called Morton’s neuroma people often describe a feeling of like having a stone in their shoe or that their sock is wrinkled up under the foot. They can get pain and numbness with tingling or burning sensation occurring in the toes or cross the ball of the foot. Shooting pains can occur in extreme cases. The pain is more noticeable on walking or in wearing particularly tight or closed in shoes.

An interdigital neuroma is an irritation of the nerve that runs to the toes in between the long metatarsal bones of the foot. For instance whilst walking or where footwear issues are particularly tight the nerve can get pinched. After that the nerve becomes enlarged due to this repeated compressed by the bones of the foot. The condition can occur gradually over time getting worse and worse and causing more pain and discomfort.

Treatment for Ball of the foot pain

Your podiatrist will be able to examine the area and using some diagnostic tests therefore being able to tell you whether a neuroma is suspected.

Treatment options include

• footwear changes into wide deep shoes with a lace or strap
• insoles to help widen the space in between the bones of the foot
• ultrasound guided corticosteroid injection to help reduce the size of the nerve

The guided injection is by far the most successful treatment for this. In addition and in extreme cases the neuroma may have to be removed by surgical team.