Pain in the ball of your foot can make something as simple as walking, standing, exercising, or wearing your favorite shoes uncomfortable. If you experience aching, burning, sharp pain, or the sensation that there is a pebble in your shoe, you may be dealing with metatarsalgia.
At Vertical Chiropractic in Redding, California, we look beyond where you feel pain to evaluate how the joints and structures throughout the body are functioning together. For some patients, a biomechanical evaluation and Gonstead chiropractic approach may be an important part of addressing contributing factors to foot discomfort.
What Is Metatarsalgia?
Metatarsalgia is a general term for pain and irritation in the ball of the foot, particularly around the metatarsal heads—the ends of the long bones leading toward your toes.
Symptoms can include:
Aching, burning, or sharp pain in the ball of the foot
Pain that increases with walking, running, or standing
Tingling or numbness in the toes
Swelling or tenderness
Feeling like there is a pebble or small object inside your shoe
Metatarsalgia can develop gradually or appear after an increase in physical activity. Runners, athletes, people who spend long periods on their feet, and individuals wearing poorly fitting or unsupportive shoes may be more susceptible. Foot structure, previous injuries, and changes in the way you distribute weight through your feet can also contribute.
What Causes Metatarsalgia?
There isn't always one single cause. Excessive pressure through the forefoot can place additional stress on the metatarsals.
Potential contributing factors include:
High-impact activities such as running and jumping
Changes in foot or ankle mechanics
High arches or other structural variations
Bunions or hammertoes
Improperly fitting footwear
High heels
Previous injuries
Stress fractures or other foot conditions
Changes in the way you walk or distribute your weight
When foot pain causes you to change your gait, the effects don't necessarily stop at your foot. Compensating for painful movement can alter how forces travel through the ankle, knee, hip, and lower back.
How Can Gonstead Chiropractic Help?
The Gonstead Method takes a detailed approach to evaluating the spine and extremities. Rather than simply focusing on the location of pain, the goal is to identify areas of altered joint mechanics and determine how they may be affecting overall movement.
When evaluating someone with foot or forefoot discomfort, a chiropractor may assess the foot and ankle as well as related areas of the lower extremity and spine.
At Vertical Chiropractic, this may include looking at:
Foot and ankle joint motion
Weight distribution and balance
Lower-extremity mechanics
Joint restrictions or areas of altered motion
The relationship between the pelvis, leg, ankle, and foot
How the body moves during normal activities
Extremity adjustments may be used when appropriate to address specific areas of altered joint motion. The purpose isn't simply to "crack" the foot—it is to improve joint mechanics and support more normal movement.
Your Feet Are Part of a Bigger System
Your feet are your foundation. Every step requires the foot, ankle, knee, hip, pelvis, and spine to work together.
If one area isn't moving well, another area may have to compensate. Over time, these altered movement patterns can contribute to additional stress throughout the kinetic chain.
That's why a Gonstead chiropractic evaluation in Redding, California may look at more than just the location of your foot pain.
What Can You Do for Metatarsalgia?
Conservative care is generally the first approach for metatarsalgia. Depending on the cause, recommendations may include temporarily reducing aggravating activities, wearing properly fitting shoes, using supportive inserts or metatarsal pads, and allowing the foot to recover.
If your foot pain persists, repeatedly returns, or is accompanied by significant swelling, numbness, tingling, or difficulty walking, it's important to have the condition properly evaluated. Other conditions—including stress fractures and nerve-related problems—can cause similar symptoms.
Metatarsalgia Care in Redding, California
If you're experiencing persistent pain in the ball of your foot, don't assume you simply have to live with it.
At Vertical Chiropractic, we use the Gonstead Method to evaluate the spine and extremities with attention to individual biomechanics and joint function. For appropriate patients, addressing mechanical factors may be one part of a broader plan to help restore better movement and function.
If you're in Redding, California, and dealing with foot or forefoot discomfort, contact Vertical Chiropractic to learn whether a chiropractic evaluation may be appropriate for you.
Your feet are your foundation. Make sure they're functioning like it.
