Think ball of foot pain when running means you need more cushioned shoes? That’s only part of the story. Keep reading to learn what causes ball of foot pain and what you can do to fix it.

ball of foot pain when running: causes and how to fix it

Oh you’re having ball of foot pain, it must be because of your foot strike. False.

Landing too far forward on the toes rather than with more of the mid-foot. But that alone is just one potential factor.

After all, your foot is a complex structure of 26 bones, 33 joints and more than 100 muscles, tendons and ligaments.

Ball of foot pain may be caused by a variety of factors. In this article, we’ll go over what ball of foot pain is, what it feels like, possible causes and recommendations to make sure you never experience it again.

What is Ball of Foot Pain (Metatarsalgia)?

Ball of foot pain can be a nuisance for many people, especially runners. Before we jump into fixes, let’s talk about what it actually is.

The medical term for pain in the ball of the foot is metatarsal pain or metatarsalgia. It’s an umbrella term for pain and inflammation in the area just below your toes.

It’s the spot where your foot takes the most pressure with every step, especially when you’re pushing off during a run or standing for long periods.

This aching sensation is usually present in what’s known as the metatarsal heads, the joint that’s just under our toes.

Because it’s so common, there’s plenty of guidance on how to manage it and get you back to running more comfortably. Metatarsalgia running

Symptoms of Ball of Foot Pain

Ball of foot pain occurs in the padding right below your toes. Here are some of the main symptoms you might feel:

  • Sharp or burning pain in the ball of your foot
  • Shooting pain in the ball of your foot
  • Pain that worsens when you stand, run, flex your feet, or walk (stops hurting with rest)
  • Pebble in your shoe sensation
  • Numbness, or tingling in your toes

Runners with a tendency to land on the ball of their foot create massive amounts of pressure in the push-off phase, which can inflame this area, and cause some swelling.

You might want to rethink some of your non-running footwear, too. If the ball of your foot is already sensitive, footwear that adds extra pressure to that area can make it feel worse and slow your recovery.

7 Possible Causes of Ball of Foot Pain

Ball of foot pain usually isn’t caused by just one thing. More often, it’s a mixed of smaller things that add up over time and start to show up during your runs or even while walking around.

Basically, it’s just like everything in running right? Let’s take a look at some of the more common causes for ball of foot pain.

#1 Intense Training

Being a distance runner can increase your risk of having metatarsalgia. The front of our feet absorb the impact of every single step we take; it’s not surprising that foot soreness and, unfortunately, sometimes pain are often reported.

Your feet have to absorb 7 times your body weight with every step. This means if anything is off and due to the repetitive nature of running, it’s very easy to end up with an injury.

The bones, tendons, and ligaments all need time to adapt to this high-impact activity.

Of course, your feet are tired as they adjust to the new impact of running or the wrong running shoe.

  • You’ve heard it before, but increase intensity SLOWLY.
  • Increase total endurance slowly.
  • Give your body time to adapt to new stresses.

#2 Shoes that Don’t Fit Properly

 

Wearing heels all day or squeezing into shoes that are a little too small can slowly take a toll on your feet, and usually shows up as pain in the ball of your foot.

The same goes for running shoes that feel too tight in the toe box or have lost cushioning from excessive wear and tear.

If your runs start to feel uncomfortable, a fresh pair of running shoes with the right amount of support can make a huge difference.

You definitely need to know when to replace running shoes and, just as importantly, to rotate running shoes.

Need ideas for some running shoes? We’ve put together a list of the best running shoes for ball of foot pain so your miles feel better.

#3 Certain Foot Shapes

Listen just because you can’t control the shape of your foot doesn’t mean you’re stuck with pain. You need to know which area applies to you and then focus on how to best care for your foot. That could be the right shoe, the exercises below, or an insole.

Having a high arch can also put extra pressure on the metatarsals.

Having a second toe that is longer than the big toe is also another possible cause since it causes more weight than usual to be shifted to the second metatarsal head.

A hammertoe, i.e., a downward-curling toe, and bunions, i.e., swollen, painful bumps at the base of your big toes, can also cause ball of the foot pain.

#4 Poor Footstrike

Runners who land too far forward on the foot are consistently running up on the ball of the foot. This can create a few issues:

  1. The fat pad is taking on the weight of each step
  2. Your calves are being over worked
  3. Overworked muscles become tight and thus pull on everything

#5 Lack of Ankle Mobility

“Restricted mobility through soft tissues in and around the ankle and foot can play a role. Flexibility and mobility exercises for the calves, both gastrocnemius and soleus, as well as ankle mobility exercises and foot rolling, can help,” says Dr Asher.

Foot activation exercises, such as foot yoga or simply adding movements to improve your ankle range of motion, are key. We often overlook the ankles when thinking about the foot.

#6 Stress Fractures

If you have stress fractures in the metatarsals or toe bones, it can change the way you put weight on your foot which can also further exacerbate the condition and lead to metatarsalgia.

Generally, you are going to be feeling sharp pain in the area of the stress fracture.

Many runners will try to push through this, but the result is either a full break or that the stress fracture can’t heal.

#7 Morton’s Neuroma

This painful condition affects the ball of your foot, usually between the third and fourth metatarsals. It’s usually a result of a non-cancerous growth of fibrous tissue around a nerve in the foot.

The pain and symptoms are similar to metatarsalgia and can also contribute to stress in the metatarsals, thereby causing metatarsalgia on top of Morton’s neuroma.

How is Ball of Foot Pain Diagnosed?

Sometimes ball of foot pain goes away on its own after a few days. If your pain persists for more than a few days after resting and changing your footwear, or the pain is severe, and you can see signs of swelling or discoloration, it may be time to get checked.

To get diagnosed correctly, head to your doctor’s office, where they will begin an exam for metatarsalgia by asking about your symptoms. Your doctor will also physically examine your foot.

To rule out any stress fracture or other problems that may be causing your pain, you may need an X-ray. Alternatively, an ultrasound or MRI may be ordered to assess the soft tissues surrounding the metatarsal joints.

They can quickly reveal whether a problem such as Morton’s neuroma, stress fractures, or a sesamoid injury is to blame instead of metatarsalgia so you can get the correct diagnosis and then treatment.

How to Treat Ball of Foot Pain

If you’re dealing with ball of foot pain, here are a few immediate and long-term ways to get relief.

The good news is that it can be treated without anything serious as surgery. So take a deep breath and keep reading.

Immediate Pain Relief for Foot Pain

Here are a few ways to help with immediate pain relief if you’re experiencing foot pain:

Long Term Tools to Help Foot Pain

To ensure you never experience ball-of-foot pain again and to support recovery, a long-term approach is necessary to complement the short-term approach.

Dr. Asher Henry, PT, DPT, CSCS has some useful suggestions:

“I would suggest those with metatarsalgia seek out PT, especially if they’re having any sharp, shooting pain or lingering numbness”, she explains.

The importance of wearing the right shoes can never be emphasized enough.

“With runners, shoe selection can impact sensations they’re having in the foot. So, if they’re running, shoes are too tight. This can cause discomfort similar to diagnosable metatarsalgia. Testing out wider shoes Is a good idea as well as looking at how tight they’re cinching down the laces,” Dr. Asher recommends.

Understanding the cause behind your metatarsalgia can greatly assist in recovery as well.foot massage runnersOther long-term tools you can incorporate to reduce the risk of such conditions or to resolve it if you’re currently experiencing it are:

  • Improving your foot strike
  • Wearing a well-cushioned shoes (check out our list of the best running shoes for ball of foot pain)
  • Learning to replace your shoesto prevent top of foot pain
  • Foam rolling to release tight calvesor rolling foot on a PT ball to release tension
  • Continue to spend time on strengthening your calves, glutes, and core for better running form (need some ideas, check out our 30 Day Core Challenge )
  • Avoiding walking barefoot
  • Soak and use a pumice stone on your feet to help remove calluses and relieve pain.

Ball of foot pain while running may not be uncommon, but it is an injury you can prevent and recover from!

What to read next?

If you feel like the symptoms listed above don’t exactly describe what you’re experiencing, then check out these other in-depth articles to help resolve foot pain while running issues:

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