Ball of Foot Pain - Ways to Ease the Discomfort

Ball of foot pain is also called metatarsalgia.
This pain is caused by a lot of different factors starting from nerve damage to bad footwear and the effects of unending activities in one's daily schedule.
The pain in the region connected to the toes is referred to as the "ball of the foot".
Ball of foot pain also spreads to the bones and the joints, with the greatest pain affecting the region between the 2nd, 3rd and 4th toes.
Causes of Ball of Foot Pain A wide range of causes are responsible for ball of foot pain.
The most common one though is wearing ill fitting or badly designed footwear.
A narrow area for the toe not only cramps the toes but also restricts the area of the ball of the foot which then results in a gradual build up of pressure.
Ball of the foot pain originates because of this pressure and sometimes gets inflamed at the region close to the metatarsal heads or the cushion to the toes.
The acute pain is a recurring problem when excessive pressure is applied over the toes for a long time, often experienced when people wear shoes and walk continuously for a long time.
High heels which do not support the entire arch of the feet and are not rigid enough to support the weight of the body are also responsible for ball of foot pain.
Injuries caused by running or dancing, to the area near the big toe, could lead to a condition called sesamoiditis when the region becomes swollen and warm.
Obesity or excess weight will also take its own toll on the feet when there is too much pressure on them.
Activities that lead to a lot of impact on the feet without any cushioning and pain in the joints and cartilage of the feet could also lead to ball of foot pain.
Due to the ageing effects, sometimes the cushioning of the toes runs thin also leading to this problem.
Preventing the Ball of Foot Pain and providing Relief in Severe Cases The best way to prevent ball of foot pain is to avoid narrow toed shoes with tapering.
Wide toe boxes which give ample space for the toes and with size big enough to easily accommodate the biggest toe should be worn.
A low wedge heel is very helpful in reducing the pressure on the feet.
There are a lot of special products such as orthotic and orthopedic footwear which helps provide relief from the ball of foot pain.
Customized shoes can be designed by taking the shape of the feet in 3 dimensional perspective and mold the shoes accordingly.
This will ensure that the feet get a lot of comfort and the pain due to excessive pressure is alleviated.
One can also use insoles and custom shoe inserts which provide support to the entire feet and also cushion them from the impact with hard rigid surfaces.
The comfortable padding helps to relieve the feet completely from the pain.
Flexible pads placed inside the shoes, metatarsal bandages and metatarsal cushions, are all effective in reducing the feet in the pain and providing a soothing effect for the ball of the foot area.
The shoe insoles and inserts prevent the collapsing of the arch abnormally.
Thus the weight of the body is distributed in a much better way across the feet instead of troubling one zone more than another.
The pads that can easily slip inside the shoes support the entire feet and the elastic straps are specially recommended for those suffering from ball of foot pain due to poor circulation or diabetes.