Metatarsalgia
Introduction
Metatarsalgia is the name for pain in the ball of the foot.
It affects the metatarsals, the bones connecting theankle bones to the toes. They're a common source of pain because they support your weight when you're standing, walking and running.
Metatarsalgiacan have a number of different causes, including wearing unsupportive footwear, conditions such as Arthritis ,and doing high-impact sports.
It can be very uncomfortable and interfere with your normal activities, but will often improve with some simple self-help measures.
This page covers:
Treating and preventing metatarsalgia
Medically Reviewed by a doctor on 29 Nov 2016
Introduction
Metatarsalgia is the name for pain in the ball of the foot. Find out about the most common symptoms, causes and treatments for this condition.
Symptoms of metatarsalgia
Metatarsalgia tends to develop gradually over time. It may be felt in a small area of the foot, or across the whole width of it. One or both feet may be affected. The pain of metatarsalgia is someti
What causes metatarsalgia?
Metatarsalgia is usuallythe result of increased pressure on the ball of the foot. Some common causes of metatarsalgia include: badly fitting footwear high-heeled or restrictive shoes can force th
Treating and preventing metatarsalgia
The following measures will often help improve metatarsalgia and stop it coming back: rest your feet put your feet upregularly and avoid activities that make the pain worse; try low-impact activit
When to get medical advice
You can usually treat metatarsalgia at home without seeing your GP. However, you should get medical advice if: the pain doesn't improve despite trying self-help measures the pain significantly int
Subscribe
Ask the doctor
Rate this article
Find products