Dropped Metatarsal Treatment in New York, NY

Do you have pain in the ball of your foot — the part of the sole just behind your toes? Does it get worse when you stand, walk, or run and improve when you rest?

It may be caused by a condition called metatarsalgia, which happens when one or more of the five bones (metatarsals) in your foot ‘drops.’ Your foot has five bones that connect to each of your toes. If one of these bones sits lower than the others (a dropped metatarsal), it will bear more of your body’s weight than it should, causing pain and inflammation. High heels are often a culprit in the development of a dropped metatarsal.

Luckily, multiple treatments and procedures are available to correct this problem. At Millennium Podiatry, Dr. Suzanne Levine and her team offer a variety of effective dropped metatarsal treatments in New York, NY to help our patients achieve relief from the pain and discomfort caused by dropped metatarsals. Contact our office today to learn more and schedule a private consultation.

A dropped metatarsal can cause a number of painful and uncomfortable symptoms, including:

• Pain in the ball of your foot — the part of the sole just behind your toes
• Sharp, aching, or burning foot pain
• Pain that gets worse when you stand, walk, or run and improves when you rest
• Pain radiating from the balls of the feet into the toes
• Numbness or tingling in your toes
• Pain that worsens when you flex your feet
• A feeling in your feet as if you’re walking with a pebble in your shoe
• Increased pain when walking barefoot, especially on a hard surface
• Calluses on the ball of your foot

What causes metatarsalgia?

Metatarsalgia can be caused by a single cause or a group of combined factors. Often these include:

• The shape of the foot (high arches or a second toe that is longer than the big toe)
• Intense training, high-impact sports, or physical activity (especially long-distance running)
• Wearing shoes that are too small or frequently wearing high heels
• Foot deformities (hammertoe, bunions)
• Excess body weight or obesity
• Stress fractures
• Inflammatory arthritis

How are dropped metatarsals treated?

While in most cases, metatarsalgia can be treated without surgery with rest, wearing metatarsal pads and arch supports, some will need more extensive care. This can include physical therapy, custom orthotics, or surgery to realign the metatarsal bones.

How can I avoid dropped metatarsals and treat metatarsalgia?

• Know the symptoms so you can address them before it becomes a problem
• Rest your feet
• Apply ice packs to the affected foot
• Use an over-the-counter pain reliever (talk to your doctor first)
• Wear shoes that fit
• Use arch supports
• Wear metatarsal pads
• Maintain a healthy weight