People suffering from metatarsalgia – which derives its name from the term "metatarsals", or long bones of the foot – suffer from intense ball of foot pain.

The metatarsal bones equally share the weight of a person during walking and daily activities. When this delicate balance between bones is disrupted, the result can be mild to intense ball of foot pain. The term metatarsalgia refers to the number of problems people can experience in this area, including general ball of foot pain.

The causes of ball of foot pain can be attributed to a number of factors, from bone abnormalities to systemic conditions such as diabetes.

The most common cause of ball of foot pain is an imbalance in the long bones of the foot. These bones absorb the weight during walking, and if one of the bones is abnormally long or fractured from stress, it will create dysfunction among all bones, causing intense ball of foot pain.

Other factors that can contribute to ball of foot pain include the following:

An enlarged metatarsal head can lead to ball of foot pain.

Arthritis or any degenerative disease of the joints may contribute to ball of foot pain.

Systemic conditions such as diabetes, which can cause nerve-type pain in the foot, can cause ball of foot pain.

Calluses or skin lesions that cause the weight on the foot to be unevenly distributed can bring about ball of foot pain.

Aging, which tends to thin out or shift the fatty tissue of the foot pad, may produce ball of foot pain.

Sports that place tremendous pounding on the ball of the foot, like jogging, can lead to ball of foot pain.

Ill-fitting shoes that put pressure on the bones of the feet may contribute to ball of foot pain.

Shoes with small toe boxes that cramp your toes can lead to ball of foot pain.

As explained above, the universal symptom of ball of foot pain is pain in the ball of the foot. Ball of foot pain is most pronounced when walking or engaging in sports. Since the foot supports the body in all its activities, chronic ball of foot pain impacts the ability to perform ordinary tasks.

Additional symptoms of ball of foot pain include:

If you notice discomfort when wearing socks or shoes, you could have ball of foot pain.

You may also have ball of foot pain if you experience pain when participating in activities where impact is applied to the foot, such as running.

Treating ball of foot pain depends on the cause, but here are a few suggestions to help alleviate the discomfort associated with ball of foot pain:

Use shoe insoles or inserts to help spread your weight more equally across the entire bottom of the foot. Shoes and insoles also provide stability to prevent the abnormal collapsing of the arch, thus helping to relieve ball of foot pain.

Add metatarsal pads to your shoes to help spread the weight and therefore ease ball of foot pain.

If you are experiencing chronic ball of foot pain, please consult your local podiatrist before engaging in any type of treatment for your condition. If left untreated, ball of foot pain can also lead to other, more serious foot and lower body joint problems.

Information on foot, leg and lower body health conditions provided by The Podiatry Institute, dedicated to advancing the standard of care in podiatric medicine and its effects on muscoskeletal health.