You can walk around, jump, run, and so much more. Because the feet are designed to carry so much weight around, you may find that they are going to run into a lot of common problems that you will need to worry about as well.
Two problems that you may begin to experience with your feet are known as Morton’s neuroma and metatarsalgia.
At first, it can seem like these are the same condition and metatarsalgia vs Morton’s neuroma can be hard to differentiate. They are considered two different conditions of the feet for you to handle as well.
Let’s take a closer look at the differences between these two conditions and some of the things you can do to help handle and treat both of them.
What is Metatarsalgia?
The first condition we will take a look at is known as metatarsalgia. This is going to be a painful inflammation that is found in the ball of your foot or the part that is between the arch and the toes of the foot.
This condition gets its name from the five metatarsal bones that are found in the middle of the foot that connect to the toes.
There are a few different things that can cause this condition including overusing the foot during sports that will require you to jump and run all the time. In some cases, arthritis can cause the issue, foot abnormalities, and shoes that are not fitting all that well.
There are some symptoms that you can look for when it comes to this condition as well. And it is common for the pain to start slowly and then get worse as time goes on. If you rest the foot, it can get better, though it can get worse if you are exercising, walking, or standing. Some of the things you may notice are that the foot feels like:
- You notice the toes are tingling and numb when you stand for too long.
- You notice a shooting pain or sharp burning in the ball of the foot, whether you walk or you are trying to stand on your toes.
- You feel like there is a pebble or marble stuck in your shoe that you can’t get rid of.
Some of the pain you are feeling may get worse when you are participating in some high-impact sports activities, you walk barefoot, you run, or you stand. You may need to sit down and give your feet a rest when you have a lot of pain from this.
How to Treat Metatarsalgia
The type of treatment that you choose for your metatarsalgia is going to depend on the cause and the severity of the pain. Usually, you can use some conservative measures, like staying off the feet, changing the shoes that you wear, or choosing an orthotic pad in the shoe to give you some relief.
When you are at home, there are a few remedies that you can choose such as:
- Lose some weight if you are overweight
- Taking a pain reliever to help with the inflammation and pain
- Elevating your foot after you are done being in an activity
- Icing the foot a few times, about 20 minutes each time.
- Resting the foot when it is tired.
You may find that changing your shoe to something that is more comfortable and provides more of the support that you need can be good. You should take a break from high-impact sports and exercise and try not to wear high heels for a bit so the foot can feel better.
Depending on how much you are up and moving during the day, you may find that a pair of custom orthotics will make sense. These can have an additional pad at the toes to provide support and comfort, ensuring that you can get rid of some of the pain along the way.
What is Morton’s Neuroma?
The second condition that we need to look at is known as Morton’s Neuroma. This is a painful condition that will happen in the ball of the foot as well. But this one is going to be found more in the third and fourth toes of the foot, while the metatarsalgia is closer to the first toe. When you have this, it will involve the thickening of the tissue around the nerves that lead to the toe.
When this happens, it is going to cause burning and sharp pain in the ball of the foot. The toes that are affected can be numb, burning, or stinging.
The biggest cause of this condition is wearing high heels or tight shoes. You may find that picking out a pair of shoes that has a wider toe box or getting a pair of orthotics for your feet can help.
In some cases, you may suffer from Morton’s neuroma without any side effects at all. A 2000 study reviewed the medical records of 85 patients who had their feet checked with MRI and it found that 33% of those patients had Morton’s neuroma, but they did not have any pain at all.
There are a few things that will cause Morton’s neuroma in your feet. The main issue is that you are wearing shoes that are too tight or high heels. They can cause some of the nerves of the feet to become irritated or compressed. This nerve will then thicken and can become more painful when you decide to put more pressure on it.
Another issue could be a gait or foot abnormality. This can lead you to lose balance and will put a ton of pressure on the nerve of the foot. This condition can also be associated with hammer toes, bunions, high arches, and flat feet.
You are more likely to develop this condition if you participate in sports that require tighter shoes, such as ballet. In some cases, you may have this condition because there is a major injury to the foot as well.
When you are ready to see whether custom orthotics are the right solution for you, take our free online quiz to find out which custom insoles will be best for your feet.
Finding Treatment You Need for Metatarsalgia Vs Morton’s Neuroma in Your Feet
There are a lot of different foot conditions that you can deal with over time. Some people will experience them more than others due to the nature of your work and how much standing and walking they do for their job.
In some cases, the condition can get bad enough that you will need to work with professionals to find a customized treatment plan to take care of the feet.
Take our free analysis to help determine what type of orthotics will be best for you. We are dedicated to providing you with some pain relief for your foot condition, whether you have Morton’s neuroma, metatarsalgia, or another problem with your feet.