Do You Have A Sore Spot on the Ball of the Foot? Causes & Best Treatment

Do You Have A Sore Spot on the Ball of the Foot? This can be #1) Metatarsalgia, #2) Morton’s Neuroma, #3) Capsulitis, #4) Plantar plate tears & MORE!

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Sore Spot on the Ball of the Foot Overview:

• The condition metatarsalgia refers to overload to the ball of your foot.
• This means there is a large amount of pressure and overload to the site.

 

Risk Factors:

• The number one cause is overload to the site.
• Heavy hours on your feet.
• Poor shoes.
• No orthotics.
• Increased weight.
• Poor flexbility.

This can lead to:

• Morton’s Neuroma.
• Capsulitis.
• Tendon Pain.
• Irritated nerves.
• Bruises muscle and skin.

 

Causes:

1) Metatarsal-phalangeal Join Pain:

• Don’t let the huge name scare you!
• This is just generalized pain located in the ball of the foot.
• Sometimes the only real cause is increased pressure.

Metatarsal-phalangeal Join Pain Treatment:

• This focuses on offloading the ball of the foot.
• It also focuses on stretching out the posterior muscle groups.
• This leads to a decrease in ball of foot pressure.

 

2) Morton’s Neuroma:

• This can cause numbness, burning and tingling.
• This is usually around the 3rd and 4th toes.
• The bottom of the toes may be numb.
• You may even feel an itchy ball of foot.
• There may be a clicking noise often associated with this.

Morton’s Neuroma Home Treatment:

• This guide explains home treatment options.
• Control and cushioning of the ball of the foot is needed.
• It is also necessary to stretch and re-train the posterior muscle groups.
• If these methods do not work, invasive treatment may be necessary.

 

3)Capsulitis:

• This is pain at the base of the toes.
• If you try and bend the smaller toes back or up, you will feel pain.
• This is inflammation of the flexor tendons that bend the toes down.
• This can be very common in running.

Capsulitis Home Treatment:

• Decrease inflammation.
• Decrease ball of foot pressure through stretching.

 

4)Metatarsal Stress Fracture:

• This is a gradual onsetting pain over a few days or weeks.
• It eventually becomes to painful to walk or run.
• This is most common in weekend warriors who start training very hard.
• Usually in people who start running many miles right away.

Metatarsal Stress Fracture Home Treatment:

• Treatment is based on proper diagnosing.
• Imaging and X-rays may be needed to confirm the stress fracture.
• Off-loading will be necessary to let the fracture heal.

 

5)Painful Callus On Ball Of Foot:

• A callus on the ball of the foot is very common.
• This is a sign of too much pressure on the ball of the foot.
• Calluses develop in relation to the amount of pressure placed on them.

Painful Callus On Ball Of Foot Treatment:

• Soften up the callus through home remedies.
• Remove it after it is softened.
• Take precautions to remove the cause of the callus on ball of foot!

 

6) Blister On Ball Of Foot:

• A blister will form from shear forces on the ball of the foot.
• They can have both blood or serous fluid.

Blister On Ball Of Foot Treatment:

• Learn whether to pop the blister or not.
• Then learn how to cover your blister on the ball of the foot.
• Then how to keep the ball of the foot blister from coming back!

 

7) Second Toe Longer Than Big Toe:

• This will cause all the pain to be concentrated at the base of the 2nd toe.
• This is perhaps the most common cause of metatarsalgia (generalized ball of foot pain.).

Second Toe Longer Than Big Toe Treatment:

• This is done through controlling pressure on the forefoot.
• The only way to correct the length permanently is through surgery.
• But this is rarely needed.

 

8) Corn On Ball Of Foot:

•  A foot corn on ball of foot can cause deep pinpoint pain.
• A corn is different than a callus, it is thinner and more deep.
• It can feel like a needle digging deep in through the skin.
• It is made from hard keratin tissue.
• It is thought to be a thickened and scarred sweat duct.

Corn On Ball Of Foot Treatment:

• Treatment of a foot corn on the ball of the foot is usually done by sharp steel!
• Since the corn is very deep, moisturizing does not work as well as for a callus.
• You can always try the skin removal techniques shown for a callus on the ball of the foot.
• But the results will not be as impressive.

 

9) Hard Skin On Ball Of Foot:

• Hard skin on ball of foot is essentially a callus on the ball of the foot.

 Hard Skin On Ball Of Foot Treatment:

• Treatment can be done almost completely at home!
• There are a variety of home remedies that can soften the skin.
• The skin can then be safely and easily removed.

 

10) Stone Bruise On Ball Of Foot:

• Stone bruise on ball of foot is simply a deep contusion.
• It gets it’s name from stepping on a stone.
• This can penetrate through the protective fat pad.
• The deep tissue can take numerous weeks to get better!

Stone Bruise On Ball Of Foot Treatment:

• Treatment is based on rest, ice, compression and elevation.
• Ball of foot cushion through padding and gel inserts is most important.
• The first few days are usually the most painful, then it gets better very quickly!

 

11) Cyst On Ball Of Foot:

• A cyst on the ball of the foot is almost always a ganglion cyst.
• This is an pouching of joint fluid.

Cyst On Ball Of Foot Treatment: 

• This is usually treated by aspirating with a needle.
• Surgical removal can provide more long term results.

 

12) Hard Lump On Ball Of Foot:

• This is most likely a foot corn on the ball of the foot.
• It can also be a plantar fibroma.
• A plantar fibroma feels like a pebble underneath the skin, but the skin is normal.

 

13) Plantar Plate Injury:

• Plantar plate injury can occur when the ligament holding the second metatarsal theology will join together starts to become injured.
• This is one of the most common causes of second toe pain in the bulk of the foot.

 

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