What Are the Causes of Ball of Foot Pain?
Whenever you walk, run or jump, you force your body to support the entirety of your weight on your feet. If the feet do not properly absorb shock, or they are stressed too severely it can cause damage which may result in pain. Pain in the ball of the foot is common amongst athletes, runners, joggers and dancers, and can be caused by several injuries and underlying conditions.
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Footwear
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The fit of your shoes plays a large role in how your feet strike the ground and absorb shock. Wearing shoes that do not fit properly, are worn out, or are designed to correct problems that you do not have can lead to pain in the ball of the foot. Shoes with high heels, such as high stability running shoes, can shift weight forward onto the balls of the foot, increasing stress and the likelihood of pain.
Turf Toe
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Turf toe is a sprain of the joint capsule of the big toe, which is common among football players and other athletes that run on hard surfaces. Turf toe usually begins with a painful episode of trauma followed be continuing pain around the base of the big toe under the ball of the foot. Like other sprains, turf toe can take weeks or even months to heal, during which time activity should be avoided.
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Sesamoiditis
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Sesamoiditis is an inflammation of the tendons and ligaments surrounding the sesamoid bones in the ball of the foot. Sesamoiditis pain may feel somewhat similar to the pain of turf toe, the main difference being that sesamoiditis, like other types of tendinitis, is a gradual onset pain, which often does not occur until a day or two after a stressful activity. Once pain flares up it can remain for hours or even days--ice and anti-inflammatory medication can be used to alleviate pain.
Blisters
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Another common cause of pain on the ball of the foot is damage to the skin on the bottom of the foot due to excessive rubbing, which can create blisters. Blisters are pockets of skin that fill with fluid, which may contain blood, that tend to cause pain and discomfort when pressure is applied to them. Walking in new shoes or walking in shoes without socks can cause blisters, as can walking barefoot. Often, you will be aware of your foot rubbing in a certain area before blisters form.
Fractures
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Fractures are breaks in a bone which can be caused by sudden trauma to the foot, or repetitive high impact use. Fractures that arise from repetitive use are called stress fractures. If you believe you have suffered a fracture, you should consult a doctor to get X-rays taken and begin the healing process. Custom orthotics and shoe inserts can help alleviate shock to the feet and prevent stress fractures.
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