On this page
- What is ball of foot pain?
- What does metatarsalgia feel like?
- What causes ball of foot pain?
- Is it metatarsalgia, Morton's neuroma, or a stress fracture?
- When should ball of foot pain be checked right away?
- What helps ball of foot pain?
- How long does ball of foot pain take to get better?
- Find out what's behind your ball of foot pain
- Frequently asked questions
Ball of foot pain, called metatarsalgia, is a sharp, aching, or burning pain just behind your toes. It often feels like a pebble in your shoe and gets worse with standing, walking, or running. Hard training, foot shape, and tight or high-heeled shoes are common causes. Rest, roomier shoes, and padding often help.
It started as a small sore spot under your toes. Now every step on the kitchen tile feels like walking on a marble. Your shoes feel tight by afternoon, and you've started shifting your weight to the outside of your foot. Here's what's behind ball of foot pain, and what tends to help.
What is ball of foot pain?
Ball of foot pain is pain under the front of your foot, where the long foot bones meet your toes. Those bones are called metatarsals, and the pain is called metatarsalgia. According to Cleveland Clinic2, it usually centers on one or more of the metatarsal heads, the rounded ends behind the toes.
According to Mayo Clinic1, metatarsalgia is usually not serious, though it can make walking hard. It often comes from running and jumping. It can also stem from foot shape or shoes that don't fit well1.
It's one of several common causes of foot pain. Our foot pain and plantar fasciitis guide maps out the others by where they hurt.
What does metatarsalgia feel like?
Most people feel a sharp, aching, or burning pain in the ball of the foot. According to Mayo Clinic1 and Cleveland Clinic2, you may notice:
- Pain that gets worse when you stand, walk, run, or flex your foot
- Pain that's worse barefoot, especially on hard floors1
- A feeling like you have a pebble in your shoe1,2
- Sharp or shooting pain, numbness, or tingling in your toes1,2
- Some swelling under the forefoot2
Many people notice the pain builds over a long day on their feet. If your job keeps you standing on concrete, see our tips for foot pain from standing all day.
What causes ball of foot pain?
Usually, several things add up at once1. The ball of the foot takes a lot of force every time you push off. Anything that adds pressure there can tip it into pain.
According to Mayo Clinic1 and Cleveland Clinic2, common causes and risk factors include:
- Hard training: running and jumping sports that pound the forefoot
- Foot shape: a high arch, or a second toe that's longer than the big toe
- Toe problems: bunions, hammertoes, and calluses
- Footwear: high heels, narrow or poorly fitting shoes, and cleats
- Extra body weight: more pressure through the forefoot with each step
- Inflammatory arthritis: such as rheumatoid arthritis or gout
- Diabetes: nerve and metabolic changes that affect the feet2
Cleveland Clinic also lists going without supportive footwear, including on stairs and ladders2. That's worth knowing if you work in trades or on your feet. Our care for physical and trade jobs covers that side of things.
Is it metatarsalgia, Morton's neuroma, or a stress fracture?
These three can feel alike, and Mayo Clinic lists the last two as possible causes of metatarsalgia1. The details help tell them apart.
| Metatarsalgia | Morton's neuroma | Stress fracture | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Where | Under the ball of the foot, often across several toes1,2 | Between the third and fourth toes, in the ball of the foot3 | Most often the second or third foot bone4 |
| How it feels | Sharp, aching, or burning, like a pebble in your shoe1,2 | Burning or stabbing, like standing on a marble, with numb or tingling toes3 | Pain that builds with weight-bearing and eases with rest4 |
| Other clues | Worse barefoot on hard floors1 | Eases when you take your shoes off3 | Swelling on top of the foot and a tender spot on the bone4 |
| Common trigger | Hard training, foot shape, tight shoes1 | Tight or high-heeled shoes, high-impact sports3 | A sudden jump in activity or a new surface4 |
Morton's neuroma
A Morton's neuroma is a thickened, irritated nerve between the bones of your third and fourth toes1,3. Tingling or numbness in those two toes is a key clue3. Some people also feel a click in the forefoot3.
Stress fracture
A stress fracture is a tiny crack in a bone from repeated overuse4. It often follows a quick jump in activity, new shoes, or a switch from treadmill to road4. According to OrthoInfo4, it may not show up on X-rays until several weeks later, once healing has begun. If your pain fits this pattern, tell your doctor even if an early X-ray looks normal.
When should ball of foot pain be checked right away?
Most ball of foot pain builds slowly and isn't an emergency. A few signs point to an injury that needs a medical provider first.
Get medical care right away if you have:
See a provider soon if symptoms don't improve after two weeks of home care, or keep coming back2. The same goes for numbness or tingling in your foot2.
If you have diabetes, don't wait on foot pain. The CDC advises seeing a doctor promptly for tingling, burning, or pain in your feet, or reduced feeling5. It also advises checking your feet every day for sores, redness, or swelling5.
What helps ball of foot pain?
Taking pressure off the forefoot is the heart of relief. Most people start with simple steps at home2.
Rest and cool it down
Ease off activities that pound the forefoot while it's sore2. Rest, ice, and raising your foot can calm it down2. Swimming or cycling can keep you active in the meantime.
Look at your shoes
Choose shoes with a good sole, a wide toe box, and a lower heel2. Narrow and high-heeled shoes squeeze the forefoot and shift weight onto it. Avoid long stretches of walking barefoot, especially on hard floors1,2.
Pads and inserts
Soft insoles or metatarsal pads can help spread pressure away from the sore spot2. Your doctor can show you where a pad should sit. If your foot shape adds to the problem, a free foot scan shows your arches and how your weight spreads across each foot. There's no obligation to buy orthotics. If you and your doctor decide inserts fit your plan, learn about custom orthotics.
Stretch and care for your feet
Gentle foot and ankle stretches can help2. Cleveland Clinic also suggests soaking your feet and using a pumice stone to reduce calluses2. Keeping a healthy weight lowers pressure on the forefoot2.
Medical options
If simple steps don't help, a medical provider may suggest an injection or, rarely, surgery for the underlying cause2.
Can a chiropractor help?
A chiropractor can examine your foot, ankle, and the way you walk to look for what's loading the forefoot. Research on chiropractic care for metatarsalgia itself is limited. So care focuses on reducing pressure and improving how your foot moves.
Your doctor asks about your shoes, your work, and your activity. Then your doctor checks your feet, ankles, knees, and hips, and watches how you stand and walk. X-rays are taken only when your exam calls for them. Care may include gentle joint movement for the foot and ankle, gentle muscle work, and stretching. Adjustments are an option only if you want them, and you choose your care.
How long does ball of foot pain take to get better?
It depends on the cause. Many cases of metatarsalgia ease with rest, ice, and better shoes1. If it hasn't improved after two weeks of home care, get it checked2.
A stress fracture usually takes 6 to 8 weeks to heal, according to OrthoInfo4. Morton's neuroma symptoms can flare again in narrow or high-heeled shoes3.
Don't ignore it for months. According to Mayo Clinic1, untreated metatarsalgia can lead to pain in other parts of the same foot or the other foot. Limping can also bring on low back or hip pain1.
Other parts of your foot hurting too? See our guides to arch pain and heel pain in the morning.
Find out what's behind your ball of foot pain
You've switched shoes twice and started dreading bare floors. The pain eases when you sit down, then comes right back on the walk to the car. It's hard to tell if it's a nerve, a bone, or just your shoes.
We're here to help you find out. Chiropractic Company has cared for Greater Milwaukee since 1982, with 400,000+ patients, 1,400+ five-star Google reviews, and 20+ neighborhood clinics. Our doctors care for foot pain every week. We look for the cause of your pain, not just the symptoms. Your care is designed around your condition, your medical history, your daily routine, and your goals. You choose your care, and you see the same doctor as it continues.
Care is natural and drug-free. Treatment begins at your second visit, or the same day in acute cases if your doctor decides it's appropriate. Some plans add physical therapy at our Menomonee Falls, Waukesha, and West Allis North clinics, or massage therapy at Hales Corners and Oconomowoc.
We're in-network with most insurance companies and accept Medicare and auto accident claims. Eligible new patients can start with the $29 new-patient special, which includes a consultation, an exam, and X-rays if needed. *See offer terms.
Visit one of our 20+ neighborhood clinics across Greater Milwaukee: Milwaukee East, Milwaukee North, Milwaukee Third Ward, Shorewood, Glendale, Mequon, Cedarburg, Grafton, Germantown, Brookfield, Menomonee Falls, Waukesha, Oconomowoc, New Berlin, West Allis, West Allis North, Greenfield, Hales Corners, Franklin, Muskego, and Cudahy.
Frequently asked questions
Foot pain: symptoms, causes, warning signs, and how our chiropractors can help.
Read the full foot pain guideReferences
- Mayo Clinic. Metatarsalgia: Symptoms and causes. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/metatarsalgia/symptoms-causes/syc-20354790
- Cleveland Clinic. Metatarsalgia: Symptoms and Treatment. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/15890-metatarsalgia
- Mayo Clinic. Morton neuroma: Symptoms and causes. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/mortons-neuroma/symptoms-causes/syc-20351935
- American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (OrthoInfo). Stress Fractures of the Foot and Ankle. https://www.orthoinfo.org/diseases--conditions/stress-fractures-of-the-foot-and-ankle
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Your Feet and Diabetes. https://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/diabetes-complications/diabetes-and-your-feet.html
Reviewed by [Reviewer name], DC
Doctor of Chiropractic at Chiropractic Company [Clinic].