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Prevention
By Mayo Clinic staffWhen you're serious about sports, your metatarsals may take a beating. But that doesn't mean you have to live with pain and injuries. To help protect your feet:
- Choose the right shoes. Wearing high heels or too-small shoes can set the stage for a host of foot problems, including metatarsalgia. The same is true of shoes that don't provide enough support and cushioning. Look for shoes with a wide toe box and a rocker sole, which redistribute weight on the bottom of your foot.
- Consider cushioned insoles or arch supports. These products can help prevent the pain of metatarsalgia — as well as relieve the pain when it develops.
- Maintain a healthy weight. Keeping your weight within a healthy range can take a load off your feet.
If you're recovering from an injury, don't try to resume strenuous activity too soon. If you're not completely healed — or you train through the pain — you may only develop more severe problems and longer layoffs later on.
- Maguire S. Metatarsalgia. In: Frontera WL, et al. Essentials of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. 2nd ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders Elsevier; 2008. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/108516156-8/764507225/1678/87.html#4-u1.0-B978-1-4160-4007-1..50086-9_1382. Accessed Oct. 27, 2008.
- Metatarsalgia. The American College of Foot and Ankle Orthopedics and Medicine. http://www.acfaom.org/metatarsalgia.shtml. Accessed Nov. 4, 2008.
- Bunions. American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. http://orthoinfo.aaos.org/topic.cfm?topic=A00155. Accessed Nov. 4, 2008.
- Morton's neuroma. American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. http://orthoinfo.aaos.org/topic.cfm?topic=A00158. Accessed Nov. 4, 2008.
- Barbara Woodward Lips Patient Education Center. Metatarsalgia. Rochester, Minn. Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research; 2002.
