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Metatarsalgia is the medical term for pain and inflammation experienced in the ball of the foot. Metatarsalgia is a very common foot complaint and it can have different causes. Generally, there are two types of Ball of Foot Pain:
1) Ball of Foot pain caused by women's fashion shoes with a medium to high heel
2) Ball of Foot pain wearing normal flat shoes, caused by excessive pronation
It is important to determine in which category your ball of foot pain falls, as this will also determine the best form of treatment required. Click here to learn more about Ball of Foot pain wearing normal shoes.
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Pain under the ball of the foot (Metatarsalgia) is a common complaint with women wearing fashion shoes that are quite tight and/or have a medium to high heel. Metatarsalgia is often described by women as a burning sensation in the balls of the feet, in particular when standing or walking for long periods of time. The pain is often more severe in footwear with a high heel. Sometimes excessive callous formation is present under the forefoot. Podiatrists estimate that 80% of women who wear heels (young and old) suffer from pain in the balls of the feet.
Ball of Foot Pain occurs when the metatarsals (the 5 long bones in the forefoot) drop and the surrounding ligaments weaken. The forefoot structure collapses, in turn leading to excess pressure and friction in the ball of the foot. The key reason for this problem is that when wearing heels your bodyweight is placed almost entirely on the forefoot, rather than the heel and arch of the foot, which is more natural.
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For women who love their fashion shoes there's now a solution to painful burning feet. Footlogics 'High Heel Comfort' insoles restore biomechanical balance by supporting the foot's arch and the metatarsal bones.
As a result your bodyweight is now distributed evenly over the entire foot instead of just pressing on the forefoot! In turn, Footlogics insoles prevent excessive pressure and friction in the ball of the foot. This means a substantial reduction of pain and the associated burning sensation under the balls of the feet, especially with longer periods of standing or walking. Wearing Footlogics insoles in high heels is often described by women as a sensation of wearing low heeled or flat shoes...!
Footlogics High Heel Comfort insoles were developed by podiatrists and are made in Spain. Today Footlogics insoles are sold across Europe, the USA, in Australia, New Zealand and Ireland. Read product review by fashion editor ANNMARIE O'CONNOR
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Ball of Foot pain is not just limited to women wearing high heels. It can also occur in men and women who when wearing normal flat shoes. Metatarsalgia is often described by sufferers as a sharp or burning pain under the balls of the feet. Sometimes pain is present in the area around the second, third or fourth toes. The pain gets worse when you stand, walk or run and improves with resting. Some people experience a feeling under the foot as if they're walking with a pebble in their shoe. Walking barefoot is often too painful.
There are a number of causes for this type of foot pain: for example, intense sporting activities such as running. Also walking or standing for long periods in hard shoes and boots may cause pain in the balls of the feet. Ball of foot pain is therefore quite common in people employed with the police, military, security, farming, teaching etc. Being overweight is also a factor, as it places excessive pressure on the feet.
However, biomechanical research has shown that the most common cause for Metatarsalgia is a condition called excessive pronation or over-pronation. This is the collapsing of the arches and rolling inwards of the ankles.
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To understand the problem of over-pronation, let's first take a look at the anatomy of the human foot...
Our feet consist of 26 bones, held together through a web of muscles and ligaments. The foot is not flat on the ground but is held up in the middle forming two arches: the Longitudinal arch (or instep) running along the foot from the heel to the toes and the Transverse arch which runs across the foot.
Five metatarsal bones run from the middle of the foot to your toe joints. Over-pronation means the Longtudinal arch collapses and the ankle joint rolls inwards every time the foot lands on the ground. A common side-effect of overpronation is excess pressure on the metatarsals, which in turn leads to lowering (or collapsing) of the Transverse arch. The forefoot structure is severely weakened, causing pain in the ball of the foot and inflammation at the metatarsal joints.
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Wearing hard, flat shoes and walking on hard surfaces such as concrete, pavements, tiled floors etc will make this problem even worse.
First of all you should minimise any walking or standing, where possible. Also, wear supportive footwear and apply ice at night for a about 5-10 minute to cool down the inflammation. Remove excess callous (if present) with a pumice stone or visit a chiropodist to have it professionally removed.
Orthotic insoles can be very effective to treat Ball of Foot pain as they will provide the necessary biomechanical correction and prevent over-pronation.
Footlogics Comfort orthotics support the Longitudinal arch and re-align the feet and ankles. Importantly, these insoles also feature a metatarsal raise to support the Transverse arch. In turn, Footlogics greatly reduces the pressure and friction in the ball of the foot, thus providing relief from ball of foot pain.
It should be noted that most orthotic insoles from your pharmacy or chemist do not have any metatarsal support and are therefore not very effective in the treatment of Metatarsalgia.
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