Educational Articles

How to Place Metatarsal Pads

Posted By Marty Hughes, DC

Disclaimer:

The above content is for educational or informational purposes only and is not intended to replace or augment professional medical instruction, diagnosis, or treatment. Read full disclaimer here.

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Comments
June 01, 2016
Marci Stephenson

Will I be able to sleep with Correct Toes on? Will I be able to walk around inside with Correct Toes on (and without shoes)?

June 01, 2016
Natural Footgear

Hi, Marci,

Thank you for your message. To answer your question, yes, you may wear your Correct Toes overnight as a night splint and to help passively realign the toes. However, the greatest corrective effects occur when using Correct Toes during physical activity or in a weight-bearing situation (e.g., standing, walking, running, etc.).

If you do choose to wear the device while sleeping, some people find it helpful to wear socks over their toe spacers to help them stay in place.

Wearing Correct Toes around the house is a great way to get used to how they feel and to gauge if there is any need for a modification to help the device better fit your needs. The four most common ways to keep your Correct Toes rooted in place are:

1. Use them within a conventional sock.
2. Use them with or without toe socks inside an appropriately wide toe box shoe.
3. Trim down the “nubs” that project toward the foot on the device’s 1st and 4th pillars (please see this video, starting at 7:51, for a demonstration: www.naturalfootgear.com/blogs/product-info/17921896-correct-toes-modifications-comprehensive).
4. Use two thin velcro straps to secure the device to your big and little toes.

Of course, wearing your Correct Toes within a foot-healthy shoe is the best way for the device to work because your feet are in motion and the device is helping your toes realign with your metatarsal bones.

I hope this info helps!

Kind regards,
Laura Trentman

March 02, 2018
Deb Miller

Do you have a list of recommended shoe brands or styles that work well with Correct Toes and metatarsal pads? Particularly athletic shoes. Thank you!

March 02, 2018
Natural Footgear

Hi, Deb,

Thank you so much for your question. All of the footwear we offer on our site is Natural Footgear Certified, which means that it lives up to our high standards for what constitutes foot-healthy footwear. You can learn more about our Natural Footgear Certified stamp of approval here:

www.naturalfootgear.com/pages/nfg-certified-stamp

An important aspect of the Natural Footgear Certified stamp for footwear is that the shoe, boot, or sandal must work in combination with Correct Toes. All of our women’s footwear offerings work great with Correct Toes, and you can find them here:

www.naturalfootgear.com/collections/womens-shoes

Be sure to check the sizing tab for each different model, as the sizing tends to vary a bit from one brand to the next (and sometimes, even within the same brand!). If you have any additional questions about our options, please just let us know. We’re happy to help!

Kind Regards,
Andrew Potter

October 22, 2018
Ana Cristina Prem

I’ve been using Pedag metatarsal pads for two days with my Lems shoes and my ball of foot pain has been incredibly minimized.

Thanks so much for sharing your knowledge and making people feel more comfortable.

The videos are very professional and I’m learning a lot!!!

All the best!

October 22, 2018
Natural Footgear

Terrific! Thank you for your kind words, Ana Cristina. I’m very glad to hear that the shoes and metatarsal pads are helping reduce your ball of foot pain!

Kind regards,
Marty Hughes, DC

February 21, 2021
Dina Gavrilyuk

Hello. I was recently diagnosed with sesamoiditis and currently still have some inflammation in the ball of my foot, under the big toe, and also some pain when I’m on my feet for more than 2 hours. I am wondering if Pedag met pads would be helpful for that? Or would you recommend any sesamoid pads to relieve pain?

February 21, 2021
Natural Footgear

Hi, Dina,

Thank you for reaching out to us. For most folks diagnosed with sesamoiditis, Pedag metatarsal pads can be quite helpful in reducing pain and correcting the problem. Adding metatarsal pads to your shoes will promote the return of your forefoot fat pad to a position that supports and protects your sesamoid bones.

I would like to share with you a few resources from our site that I think you’ll find beneficial:

Sesamoiditis:
www.naturalfootgear.com/blogs/educational-articles/sesamoiditis

Sesamoiditis: Conventional vs. Natural Approaches:
www.naturalfootgear.com/blogs/educational-articles/sesamoiditis-conventional-vs-natural-approaches

Metatarsal Pad Benefits:
www.naturalfootgear.com/blogs/educational-articles/metatarsal-pad-benefits

Please do give the above resources a look and let us know if you have any further questions!

All the best,
Marty Hughes, DC

February 22, 2021
Megan Kennedy

Are these something one continues to wear over time, or can their use be given up, if desired, once the feet become stronger? Thank you.

February 22, 2021
Natural Footgear

That’s a great question, Megan! Thank you for posting it. In general, we recommend that most folks simply incorporate the use of metatarsal pads into their long-term approach to foot health and rehabilitation. Though metatarsal pads can be quite helpful in (quickly) addressing ball of foot problems and discomfort, there are many other reasons to continue on with the pads after the acute problem has been dealt with. You can read all about the benefits of metatarsal pads here:

www.naturalfootgear.com/blogs/educational-articles/metatarsal-pad-benefits

I hope this info helps!

All the best,
Marty Hughes, DC

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