October is the month of all things spooky and scary, but what shouldn’t be scary is foot pain. Many people experience ball of foot pain, or metatarsalgia, and the good news is it’s often easily treated with conservative methods. It’s important to figure out what’s causing your pain so that we can quickly and effectively treat it.
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If you have metatarsalgia you may experience burning or sharp shooting pains in your foot. It’s usually worse when you are standing or engaging in physical activity and may feel better when you are at rest. Some of the common causes that result in metatarsalgia include:
- Intense physical activity: If you are extremely physically active, and especially if you are a runner, you might experience ball of foot pain. It’s worse for runners because the ball of their foot absorbs most of the shock.
- Having high arches: If you have high arches it means that most of the weight that you bear is being put on the front of your foot. You may also experience this if you have a longer second toe.
- Foot deformities: Hammertoes and bunions may lead to metatarsalgia because of the way they cause the foot to be misshapen.
- Being overweight: The more weight you bear on your foot the more likely you are to experience pain and discomfort.
- Shoes that don’t fit correctly: Footwear is extremely important and can make the difference in the amount of pain you feel. Avoid high heels because they force the front of your foot to bear a lot of pressure.
- Morton’s neuroma: If you feel like you are standing on a pebble inside your shoe it’s probably a neuroma. It can lead to metatarsal stress, which will make your metatarsalgia even worse.
If you are experiencing ball of foot pain don’t hesitate to come see us. Call Dr. Mitchell Wachtel at (978) 794-8406 to schedule an appointment with us. We offer services at three Massachusetts locations so make your appointment today!