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Forefoot pain (metatarsalgia)
Metatarsalgia describes pain in the ball of your foot. There are many reasons that you may develop pain in your forefoot, but it is usually due to abnormal mechanical forces that cause injury to the structures of the forefoot by overusing them. The structures affected can be the bones or joints, the muscles and their tendons, or the nerves. A common nerve problem of the forefoot is Morton's neuroma, which can lead to shooting pains into your toes.
Problems with the big toe joint are also common. A 'bunion' is where this joint can become deformed and develop arthritic changes which usually worsten over time. The enlarged joint often rubs on your shoes which leads to painful problems with the tissues around the joint too.
Deformities of the lesser toes, such as hammer toes, can put extra pressure on the joints, which leads to foot pain as well as corns and calluses.
We will make a diagnosis of your foot pain and look at all the underlying factors that are contributing to your pain, including an assessment of how your feet function. We can then devise a management plan to help allieviate your pain as quickly as possible.