Popular Q&A: Ball of Foot

Flat feet, also known as pes valgus or pes planovalgus, is a health problem in which the foot lacks a normal or discernible arch when weight-bearing. Flat feet may be caused by numerous factors or other health problems, including—but not limited to—tendon injury or illness, neuromuscular conditions (e.g., cerebral palsy), conditions causing extremely flexible soft tissues, and tight Achilles tendons. Advanced age, excessive body weight, traumatic foot or ankle injuries,... Read more

We understand how painful this problem can be and the degree to which it can affect your ability to perform weight-bearing activities. Considering the relatively small size of the sesamoid bones, the discomfort that's sometimes associated with them can have an outsized effect on your well-being and quality of life. Fortunately, we've found that natural treatment approaches can be quite helpful for this problem in many cases. We'll list some... Read more

First, we’re truly sorry to hear that you're experiencing discomfort from Morton's neuromas in both of your feet, especially at 84 years old. It's wonderful that you're actively seeking ways to alleviate your symptoms and improve your quality of life, though. While we’re not able to comment on your specific case without the benefit of a full health history interview and physical examination, we can offer some general suggestions on... Read more

Two of the main metatarsal pad functions—restoring proper forefoot fat pad positioning and spreading out the transverse foot arch—are quite independent. In the case of the former, it's really the toe spring built into conventional footwear—and the associated toe flexor/extensor muscle imbalance it creates—that's responsible for shifting the fat pad to a position further out on the foot, closer to the ends of the toes. Metatarsal pads, which should be... Read more

Metatarsal pads may be small and unobtrusive, but they are mighty when it comes to aiding the foot and addressing a variety of foot ills. The forefoot fat pad—a natural structure in all feet—is intended to sit underneath the ball of the foot and cushion and cradle the metatarsal heads at the point where they contact the ground. Wearing conventional shoes (i.e., shoes with elevated heels, tapering toe boxes, toe... Read more

First things first, the term “metatarsalgia” is a general, or umbrella, term for any cause of pain or discomfort in the ball of the foot. Possible causes of metatarsalgia include neuromas, sesamoiditis, capsulitis, gout, and metatarsal fractures, to name a few among many. Determining the precise cause of the ball of foot pain is important in deciding how to address it. Of course, it's always important to get evaluated by... Read more