Metatarsalgia
Metatarsalgia is the pain and inflammation caused by injury to the ball of the foot. Although thought of as a symptom of other conditions rather than a specific disease, it is still considered a common overuse injury.
Anatomy
Metatarsalgia, a forefoot injury, can occur in anyone, though athletes who take part in intense sports that involve running or jumping are at the highest risk. Metatarsalgia occurs when there is strong or unusual pressure on the ball of the foot, creating pain and inflammation.
Description
Metatarsalgia can be caused by injury during sport or physical activity. If there is an abnormal weight distribution or unusual movement, the foot is more susceptible. Metatarsalgia pain generally occurs over time rather than immediately, and can last several months with increasing severity.

Symptoms
Symptoms include irritation and inflammation of the ball of the foot and pain at the end of one or more of the metatarsal bones. The factors that contribute to metatarsalgia can include:
- Tight toe muscles
- Weak toe muscles
- Hypermobile first foot bone (when joints move easily beyond the normal range expected for that particular joint)
- Tight Achilles tendon
- Loose or tight footwear
- High or unusual levels or physical activity
- Hammertoe deformity
- Excessive side-to-side movements when walking
Also, some medical conditions may predispose individuals to metatarsalgia problems. These can include:
- A high arch
- Hammertoe deformity
- A short first metatarsal bone or a long second metatarsal bone
Pain is usually aggravated when walking or running. Athletes who have inflammatory conditions such as bursitis often also have forefoot pain.

Diagnosis
Your Florida Orthopaedic Institute physician will evaluate your symptoms and examine your foot. From there, they will assist you in assessing which treatment options are best.
Various tests can assist in pinpointing places of inflammation and damage, and help identify conditions that could be causing metatarsalgia such as bursitis or Morton neuroma.
Your physician may also determine that an MRI scan (magnetic resonance imaging) is the best option to detect and diagnose any disorders or conditions that result from any biomechanical imbalance.

Treatment
Fortunately, metatarsalgia can be treated in most cases by rehabilitation and does not need any surgical intervention. Your physician will help you determine which course of treatment and rehabilitation practices are right for you.
Nonsurgical Treament
Icing the foot and applying a pressure bandage can help start the healing process. Your physician may also recommend not standing on the foot for a few days while it gets adjusted to the pressure bandage.
Rehabilitation can assist in getting back on your feet quicker by restoring the range of motion. Recreational therapy such as swimming can be a good alternative to normal weight-bearing sports. Supportive shoes should be worn and are also an effective treatment.
It is important to not disrupt the healing process by following your physician’s orders – stretching properly and not returning to physical activity until given the go-ahead to do so.
Surgical Treament
In extreme cases, surgery may be recommended to treat metatarsalgia. If there is severe pain and inflammation that does not subside, surgical realignment of the metatarsal bones may be required. Your Florida Orthopaedic Institute physician will evaluate your treatment progress and discuss with you any additional surgical procedures that they feel are needed.
The Next Step
Florida Orthopaedic Institute’s team of dedicated and professional physicians are up-to-date on the latest treatment. Schedule a consultation today to get back on your feet and feeling better faster.
Download Our Free PDF
Download our free pdf: “Everything You Need To Know About Metatarsalgia.”

Areas of Focus
- Foot, Ankle & Lower Leg
- Achilles Tendinitis - Achilles Insertional Calcific Tendinopathy (ACIT)
- Achilles Tendon Rupture
- Achilles Tendonitis
- Ankle Fracture Surgery
- Ankle Fractures (Broken Ankle)
- Ankle Fusion
- Bunions
- CARTIVA® Implant For Big Toe Joint Arthritis
- Charcot Joint
- Hallux Rigidus - Cheilectomy
- Intraarticular Calcaneal Fracture
- Lisfranc Injuries
- Mallet, Hammer & Claw Toes
- Metatarsalgia
- Morton’s Neuroma
- Neuromas (Foot)
- Plantar Fasciitis
- Podiatrist or Orthopaedic Physician?
- PROstep™ Minimally Invasive Surgery for Bunions
- Sprained Ankle
- Total Ankle Replacement
The following Florida Orthopaedic Institute physicians specialize in Foot, Ankle & Lower Leg:
Specialties
- Achilles Tendinitis - Achilles Insertional Calcific Tendinopathy (ACIT)
- Achilles Tendon Rupture
- Achilles Tendonitis
- ACL Injuries
- ALIF: Anterior Lumbar Interbody Fusion Surgery
- Ankle Fracture Surgery
- Ankle Fractures (Broken Ankle)
- Ankle Fusion
- Arthritis & Adult Reconstruction Surgery
- Arthroscopic Chondroplasty
- Arthroscopic Debridement of the Elbow
- Arthroscopic Rotator Cuff Repair
- Artificial Disc Replacement (ADR)
- Aspiration of the Olecranon Bursa
- Avascular Necrosis (Osteonecrosis)
- Back Surgery Types
- Bankart Repair
- Basal Joint Surgery
- Bicep Tendon Tear
- Bicep Tenodesis
- Bioinductive Implant
- Broken Collarbone
- Bunions
- Bursitis of the Shoulder (Subacromial Bursitis)
- Calcific Tendinitis of the Shoulder
- Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
- CARTIVA® Implant For Big Toe Joint Arthritis
- Charcot Joint
- Chiropractic
- Colles’ Fractures (Broken Wrist)
- Community Outreach
- ConforMIS Knee Replacement
- Cubital Tunnel Syndrome
- De Quervain's Tenosynovitis
- Degenerative Disc Disease
- Diffuse Idiopathic Skeletal Hyperostosis (DISH)
- Discitis
- Dislocated Shoulder
- Dupuytren’s Disease
- Elbow
- Elbow Bursitis
- Elbow Injuries in Throwing Athletes
- Epidural Injections for Spinal Pain
- Finger Dislocation
- Flexor Tendonitis
- Foot, Ankle & Lower Leg
- Fractures Of The Shoulder Blade (Scapula)
- Fractures Of The Tibial Spine
- Functional Nerve Transfers of The Hand
- Ganglion Cysts
- General Orthopedics
- Glenoid Labrum Tear
- Golfer's Elbow
- Growth Plate Injuries Of The Elbow
- Hallux Rigidus - Cheilectomy
- Hand & Finger Replantation
- Hand & Upper Extremity
- Hand & Wrist
- Hand Nerve Decompression
- Hand Skin Grafts
- Hip & Thigh
- Hip Arthroscopy
- Hip Dislocation
- Hip Flexor Strains
- Hip Fractures
- Hip Hemiarthroplasty
- Hip Muscle Strains
- Hyperextension Injury of the Elbow
- Iliotibial Band Syndrome
- Interventional Pain Management
- Interventional Spine
- Intraarticular Calcaneal Fracture
- Knee & Leg
- Kyphosis
- Labral Tears Of The Hip (Acetabular Labrum Tears)
- Lateral Collateral Ligament (LCL) Injuries
- Lisfranc Injuries
- LITTLE LEAGUER'S ELBOW (MEDIAL APOPHYSITIS)
- MACI
- MAKO Knee Replacement Surgery
- MAKO Total Hip Replacement
- Mallet, Hammer & Claw Toes
- Medial Collateral Ligament Injuries
- Meniscus Tears
- Metatarsalgia
- Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery
- Morton’s Neuroma
- Muscle Spasms
- NAVIO Surgical System
- Nerve Pain
- Neuromas (Foot)
- Olecranon Stress Fractures
- Orthopaedic Total Wellness
- Orthopedic Trauma
- Osteoarthritis of the Hip
- Osteoporosis
- Outpatient Spine Surgery
- Partial Knee Replacement
- Patellar Fracture
- Pelvic Ring Fractures
- Peripheral Nerve Surgery (Hand) Revision
- Pinched Nerve
- Plantar Fasciitis
- Podiatrist or Orthopaedic Physician?
- Primary Care Orthopedics Sports Medicine
- PROstep™ Minimally Invasive Surgery for Bunions
- Quadriceps Tendon Tear
- Revascularization of the Hand
- Reverse Total Shoulder Replacement
- Revision Knee Surgery
- Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) of the Shoulder
- Rheumatoid Arthritis Of The Hand
- Robotics
- ROSA® Knee Robotic Surgical Assistant
- Sciatica
- Scoliosis
- Senior Strong
- Shin Splints
- Shoulder
- Shoulder Arthritis
- Shoulder Arthroscopy
- Shoulder Replacement
- Shoulder Socket Fracture (Glenoid Fracture)
- SLAP Tears & Repairs
- Spinal Fusion
- Spine
- Spondylolisthesis and Spondylolysis
- Sports Hernias (Athletic Pubalgia)
- Sports Medicine
- Sprained Ankle
- Sudden (Acute) Finger, Hand & Wrist Injuries
- Targeted Muscle Reinnervation (TMR)
- Tendon Transfers of The Hand
- Tennis Elbow
- Thigh Fractures
- Thigh Muscle Strains
- Total Ankle Replacement
- Total Hip Arthroplasty
- Total Hip Replacement - Anterior Approach
- Total Knee Replacement
- Triceps Tendonitis
- Trigger Finger
- UCL (Ulnar Collateral Ligament) Injuries
- Ulnar Neuritis
- Valgus Extension Overload
- Verilast
- Vertebroplasty
- WALANT (Wide Awake Local Anesthesia No Tourniquet)
- Whiplash and Whiplash Associated Disorder (WAD)
- Wrist Arthroscopy
- Wrist Fractures
- Wrist Sprains
- Wrist Tendonitis