Forefoot Pain
Many people suffer from forefoot pain at some point in their lives. For most people the problem resolves quickly however, some people struggle with forefoot pain for several months.
Although Morton’s Neuroma is one of the most well known, there are many different causes for forefoot pain. Some causes start in the bones of the foot and some cause deferred pain- pain in a different location than the injury.
A detailed medical history and information about your foot pain will help your podiatrist accurately diagnose your condition. This means that you will be getting appropriate treatment from the outset.
Soft tissue injuries normally reduce or resolve over a few months. If you have symptoms of heel pain, particularly if it is not going away, consult a podiatrist to make sure you have the right diagnosis and are using the best treatments for your specific problem.
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A neuroma is a painful bundle of nerve tissue frequently found between the ball joints of the feet. Morton’s neuroma is the name given to the bundle found between the 3rd and 4th ball joints.
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Burning, stabbing or shooting pain is caused when the neuroma is compressed during walking. This may be exacerbated by footwear, but compression can happen even when walking barefoot.
People can also experience tingling or numbness in the toes.
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Factors that appear to contribute to Morton's neuroma include:
Footwear- wearing high-heeled shoes or shoes that are tight or ill fitting can place extra pressure through the sides of the foot.
Certain sports- high-impact activities such as jogging may subject your feet to repetitive trauma. Sports that feature tight shoes, such as football, can add pressure to the joints and toes.
Foot deformities- people with bunions, hammertoes, high arches or flatfeet are at higher risk of developing Morton's neuroma.
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Bunions are caused by the movement of the toe joint away from the natural alignment of the foot. Most commonly people get bunions at their big toe joint, but they may also occur at the small toe ball joint.
Not all people with enlarged ball joints have bunions. See Other Forefoot Disorders for more information.
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The main symptom is altered alignment of the toe joint, sometimes with rotation of the toe. Malalignment can cause pain at the ball joint itself, either through pressure from footwear or just walking on an altered foot structure.
People can also experience pain in their second toe and its associated structures, caused by pressure from the big toe.
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Bunions are frequently caused by an inherited faulty mechanical structure of the foot that makes a person prone to developing a bunion.
Wearing shoes that are too narrow for your foot shape, can make the deformity get progressively worse.
Functionally supportive insoles can help reduce symptoms and slow down the progression of a bunion.
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Although Morton’s Neuroma and Bunions are some of the most common causes of forefoot pain, these are not the only forefoot disorders people experience.
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Pain in the ball joints of the foot can be dull and achy, or a sharp shooting pain. There may be redness or swelling in the area. The pain is frequently caused by exercise, bad foot function, wearing shoes that are too tight or a condition such as arthritis.
Some people also have a foot shape that puts extra pressure on the ball of the foot. Whilst others develop the problem when they are trying to offload a different painful area of the foot such as a corn or verruca.
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Commonly caused by footwear that is too small, or tight tendons in the foot, hammer toes become fixed in a bent position over time and with the onset of arthritis in the toe joint.
People with hammer toes frequently experience pain in the toe itself as bony changes occur and malalignment persists. Areas of hard skin such as corns and callus can develop on top of the toe joints and under the ball joint of the affected toe.
What appointments are suitable for treating forefoot pain?
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The first appointment required for every new patient with knee pain, internal foot pain, MSK (musculoskeletal) issues, or who require insoles, gait analysis or biomechanical intervention.
This appointment is suitable for all new Musculoskeletal (MSK) patients, and for patients who have not attended a Musculoskeletal appointment in 12 months or longer (from the date of their last appointment).
During the appointment our clinician will take a full medical history and undertake a gait assessment. We will need to see your lower legs whilst you walk, so you will need to wear or bring clothing that allows for this.
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An in shoe analysis system designed to be used in your own footwear, doing the activity that causes you problems. No more walking over gait plates, a system designed with you in m nd.
For more information see our digitsole pro page.
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Patients with foot pain find that they benefit from insoles to help support the foot as it moves through each step of the day. Some people need insoles in all footwear, some people only need them when recovering from an injury or when their feet are stressed doing certain activities.
The Footbalance sytem allows us to mould fully personalised insoles while you wait. There is no need to cast the foot or send insoles to a lab, meaning you can start to feel the benefits of the Footbalance customised insoles right away.
If you are not sure whether you could benefit from Footbalance customised insoles, or would just like a free Footbalance analysis, please book one of our free Footbalance assessment appointments. See our Customised Insoles (Footbalance) page for more information.
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Coming soon. Please contact the clinic for more information.
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Coming Soon. Please contact the clinic for more information.