The foot is a complex part of the body and features 26 different bones which are connected by many joints, muscles, tendons, ligaments and nerves. The foot is susceptible to stress and strain, leading to foot pain and other problems which may cause inflammation, injur and limited mobility. What are the different types of foot complaints? Foot pain is often caused by improper biomechanical foot function, poorly fitted shoes, diabetes or simply ageing. Footwear that does not fit properly or provides little arch support can cause irritation to the foot joints and skin. There are many types of foot complaints, affecting the heels, toes, ball of the foot, nerves, tendons, arches and ligaments or joints of the foot. Pain in the balls of the feet is very common and also referred to as metatarsalgia. It is a very common complaint in women wearing high-heeled fashion shoes, but may also be experienced by men and women whilst wearing normal flat footwear. Gaining relief from this condition starts with wearing proper footwear with support along both longitudinal and metatarsal arches. The biomechanics of metatarsalgia. Every time you take a step and put pressure on the ball of the foot the metatarsal arch begins to flatten. This allows the metatarsal (or transverse) arch to act as a natural shock absorber. As the foot goes through the gait cycle our body weight shifts from the back of the foot (the heel bone) to the front. When we step forward all of our body weight is forced onto the balls of the feet. If they are not aligned properly and supported or if we have insufficient natural fatty padding under the foot, we will experience pain and inflammation. Pain in the ball of your foot is experienced by many patients.
What causes Metatarsalgia?
Dropped metatarsal bones is the major cause of this condition. Our feet have 5 metatarsals, connected to the toes. If one or more of the metatarsal heads is placed below the other bones it will bear more of body weight and pressure than it should. Often if our foot muscles and ligaments are too loose and flexible foot the bones and joints are not held in their optimal position. High-heeled ladies fashion shoes shift your weight forward onto the ball of the foot. The increased weight and pressure stretches the soft tissues allowing the metatarsal head to drop, causing inflammation and irritation and in may cases excessive callus formation. Injury such as fractured bones or foot joints that are not properly positioned also contribute to this problem. For example a very common injury is found in military and police recruits who take up walking long distances in hard footwear for the first time. Fractures of the metatarsal bones, located in the forefoot area, often do not require a cast. Sesamoid bone fractures. The sesamoid bones are 2 small, round bones at the end of the metatarsal bone of the big toe (Hallux). Usually padded soft insoles can help relieve pain, however in some cases the sesamoid bone may have to be surgically removed. Toe fractures. Fractures of the middle toes can heal without a cast. Fractures of the big toe or little toe are more complicated to treat and may require a cast or surgery. Foot pain can be debilitating to the pursuit of an active lifestyle. Foot pain can have many sources, from fractures and sprains to nerve damage. Pain in the ball of the foot, located on the bottom of the foot behind the toes may be caused by nerve or joint damage in that area of the foot. In addition, a benign growth such as Morton's Neuroma can cause pain and inflammation. Corticosteroid injections and wearing supportive shoe inserts (orthotic insoles) may help relieve the pain.