Orthotics And Their Role In Relieving Metatarsal Foot Pain

Sharp pain in the balls of your feet is an indication of Metatarsalgia, a foot ailment that involves inflammation to the nerves . Metatarsalgia is a common occurrence among runners, basketball players, tennis players, and other athletes involved in high-impact sports. It is also frequent among women who wear high-heel shoes for long periods at a time.

Metatarsalgia: Common Symptoms
People afflicted by ball of foot pain often feel intense pain in one or both of the balls of their feet, the area right behind the toes This pain can sharp, dull, or burning, and is commonly felt near the big toe, or around the middle toes. These are the most common symptoms related to metatarsalgia:

* Intense pain around the toes.
* The pain aggravates when flexing the feet.
* You feel as if walking on pebbles
* Lack of sensation or tingling of the toes
* The pain worsens when walking barefoot, particularly on hard surfaces.
* The pain gets exacerbated when you stand, walk, or run, and improves after resting.


Causes of Metatarsalgia
The metatarsal bones take the brunt of our weight when pushing-off while running or jumping, which can be the equivalent to several times your body weight. Among the common causes of metatarsalgia are extreme sports training, biomechanical foot imbalances, being overweight, improper footwear, and frequent wear of high-heel shoes.

Potential Complications
If the symptoms of metatarsalgia are left untreated in a timely manner, this condition can deteriorate to more severe ailments such as loss of range of motion, injury to foot ligaments, toe problems, and chronic stiffness. In extreme cases, necrosis can develop and collapse the entire bone structure.

Treatment for Metatarsal Foot Pain
Healing metatarsalgia normally does not demand aggressive measures. The most recommended treatments for metatarsalgia are:

Get plenty of rest - Avoid putting unneeded pressure on your feet by resting. In short time you may get involved in low-impact activities such as cycling, swimming, or rowing.

Use Ice - Use ice packs on the aching area for 15 to 20 minutes at a time, several times a day.

Wear proper footwear - Shoes need to fit properly and be of the suitable for the type of activity that you plan to practice.

Wear arch support inserts - The use of suitable orthotic shoe insoles can provide the needed sustainment to reduce stress on the metatarsals.

The use of arch support inserts is a vital component of of most treatments for metatarsalgia. The use of metatarsal pads can also help to reduce the stress around the metatarsal area.

In most cases involving metatarsalgia do not require medical care. It is common for our feet to be sore after a long day of standing or intense physical activity. Talk to your doctor if the pain or burning sensation if the metatarsalgia does not improve after modifying your activities and wearing arch support inserts.

Having pain in the metatarsals can be an unpleasant experience, but by taking the proper care of your feet with the treatment options recommended above you can return to your normal activities in a short amount of time.