What is the ball of your foot?
The ball of your foot is also known as the metatarsal, many of you may remember the famous football player who broke his a few years ago. The ball of the foot is basically just like the knuckles on your hand. In most cases of ball of the foot pain, it is the metatarsal behind your big toe that causes the pain. This is most likely because it is the biggest and so it is more likely to get hit or be landed on.
What are the causes for pain in the ball of your foot?
One of the most common causes of pain in the ball of your foot is something called metatarsalgia. This condition is also more commonly known as a stone bruise and it is an inflammation and pain in the ball of your foot. A lot of very active people suffer from this condition as it is most likely caused by a high impact sport. Something where you are running, jumping and landing all the time. Although, the condition has been known to be caused by ill-fitting shoes as well. Metatarsalgia is most commonly in middle aged women however, it can affect women and men of any time of their life.
Other causes can include; shape of foot and toe, being overweight, rheumatoid arthritis, bunions, diabetes, Morton’s neuroma and a build up of fluid.
The symptoms
The symptoms of pain in the ball of your foot are pretty noticeable. Pain, swelling and perhaps some bruising around the joint.
You may also feel pain when you are walking with bare feet, this will increase on hard surfaces. You may also feel a burning pain or a sharp pain in the ball of your foot every so often. The pain can also manifest itself in your toes and you could feel a prickling or tingling feeling in them.
The treatment
Often treatment will entail wearing a cast for a few weeks, keeping pressure off of the ball of the foot and allowing it to heel properly. During this time, you may feel a bit of discomfort and pain but over-the-counter painkillers normally do the job.
If you are not in a cast, applying ice to the area can help, avoiding high impact exercising and opting for an exercise like cycling can help and resting your foot can do wonders as well.
I hope that you found this article about pain in the ball of your foot helpful. Please explore our blog in more detail to find out more about other common foot conditions.