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Metatarsalgia is pain in the ball of the foot.
It is usually felt in the sole of the foot and sometimes feel like "walking on pebbles". Other people feel a more
diffuse vague pain, ache or burning. Some people have trouble around only one or two toes, others have it throughout one or
both feet. Anything
which puts extra stress on the front of the foot can cause metatarsalgia. Common examples are: - Overweight
- Inappropriate
footwear
- High-arched "cavus" foot in which the bones in the front of the foot (metatarsals) point
down into the sole to an excessive extent, or a long metatarsal bone which takes extra pressure
- Claw or hammer toes which
press the metatarsals down towards the ground
- Stiff ankle which cannot be drawn up to right angles with the leg but points the foot down to the
ground
- A
bunion or arthritis in the big toe can weaken the big toe and throw extra stress onto the ball of the foot.
- A
stretched or irritated nerve in the ball of the foot (neuroma) or behind the ankle (tarsal tunnel syndrome) can produce pain
in the ball of the foot. Diabetes can also produce irritation of the small nerves in the foot leading to a burning pain.
- Athletes
or walkers occasionally get stress fractures of the metatarsal bones.
- Arthritis, gout or inflammation of the joints in the ball of the
foot can produce local pain
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