Metatarsalgia – Ball of Foot Pain
So many foot problems can occur in our forefoot. As podiatrists we treat a wide range of problems associated with forefoot pain and deformity. Metatarsalgia is a non-specific term or general umbrella term if you will, for pain in the forefoot or ball of the foot.
Discomfort is usually located beneath the balls of our feet and is typically a result of increased forefoot pressure.
Bunions, hammertoes, short metatarsal bones, stress fractures, plantar plate disruption, Freiberg’s infarction, capsulitis, intermetatarsal bursitis and Morton’s neuroma area some possible causes of metatarsalgia.
Today we are talking about intermetatarsal bursitis.
Intermetatarsal bursitis
What is bursitis?
An inflammation or irritation of the bursa. A bursa is a small fluid-filled sac that provides cushioning and reduces friction, between and around the joints of the forefoot. Irritation of the bursa can cause swelling and pain (bursitis). The intermetatarsal bursae are located on the bottom of the foot near the base of the toes.
Bursitis can also affect other parts of the body – back of the heel/Achilles tendon, the knee, hip, shoulder and elbow.
How did I get this?
Generally, bursitis can occur through injury or repetitive motion causing irritation and inflammation. They can become irritated when one metatarsal bone takes more load than others.
Wearing narrow or excessively worn footwear during the day and different sporting activities can increase your chance of developing bursitis. Other factors can include;
- Overuse or excessive pressure on the forefoot
- Stress from abnormal foot mechanics
- Injury from a fall or hit to the area
- Less commonly due to certain types of arthritis; rheumatoid arthritis, gout, psoriatic arthritis
If I had bursitis, what would it feel like?
Friction can cause the space between the tendon, bone and skin to become inflamed – causing swelling, pain and possibly redness of the surrounding area.
Irritation and restricted movement of the affected joint may be evident and certain footwear or activities may exacerbate pain.
What do I do next?
- Apply ice to the area – this can help reduce inflammation
- Rest and avoid painful activities
- Non-steroidal anti-inflammatories if advised by your pharmacist
- Orthotics
- Footwear changes, avoid high heels!
- Reduce the amount of pressure being place placed on the bursa through off loading
- In chronic cases, injections of local anaesthetic and corticosteroid may be required in combination with padding
It’s important to attend a podiatry consult for assessment to determine the root cause, as other injuries can produce similar symptoms. Podiatrist may advise you on appropriate shoes and can also add padding to off load the pressure, prescribe orthotics and refer for any imaging that may be needed to rule out other conditions.
Contact us on 1300 847 226 or make an appointment online to speak with one of our friendly podiatrists about helping you get back on your feet sooner!