08 Nov What To Do About Forefoot Pain, Top of Foot Pain or Under The Ball of Foot Pain?
Injuries experienced as forefoot pain, top of foot pain or pain under the ball of the foot often result in a metatarsal stress fracture, bunions or Morton’s neuroma. The point of origin for these conditions are the long metatarsal bones in the foot where injury may occur as a result of trauma, impact, fractures or sprains.
Foot fractures
Of these, a metatarsal fracture occurs when one of the five bones gets cracked or broken due to impact or trauma. This type of injury is very common in sports-related activities and may also be caused when a heavy object gets dropped on the foot, or by hitting the foot against a solid object when tripping.
A stress fracture, on the other hand, may happen through overuse or poor foot biomechanics. This type of fracture causes a hairline break in the bone brought on by recurrent stress. The injury may result in a single split in the bone or a number of smaller splits.
Nerve compression injury
Another condition, known as Morton’s neuroma is the result of a nerve compression occurring between the third and fourth toe. In this case, tissue located between the third and fourth toe starts to thicken and causes numbness, odd sensations, and overall foot pain.
The condition can be debilitating as it is not only triggered by an inflamed and swollen nerve in the foot but also causes a sharp, burning pain at the sole of the foot.
Bunion
While not an injury, a bunion is a noticeable enlargement below the side of the big toe. The condition is caused by a misalignment of the joint, and may be heredity, caused by trauma or an inflammatory joint disease like gout.
Most bunions are swollen, tender and likely to hurt when wearing shoes.
Calluses and corns
This is an accumulation of skin that occurs at pressure points or over a bony area. Calluses form at the bottom of the foot while corns occur at the top.
The hardened skin that forms results from repetitive pressure and friction of the affected area.
Plantar fasciitis
This is another foot condition that can cause a lot of pain and discomfort. It happens because of inflammation of connective tissue from the ball of the foot to the heel.
Common risk factors include obesity, muscle imbalance, bone deformities and muscle tightness.
Athlete’s foot
This is an infection of the skin where redness, itching, blistering and scaling occur. The associated lesions typically occur between toes but may also present themselves at the bottom of the foot or its sides.
Being an infection, it is brought on by a fungus that thrives in a warm dark and moist environment. Feet are more susceptible to this fungus can be found on floors and in clothing.
Treatment options
These are all very common foot ailments that can effectively be treated by a podiatrist. These specialists treat these and various other foot conditions through surgical and conservative options. To seek relief from foot problems, look for the best podiatrist San Diego has and get in touch today.
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