Morton's Neuroma
Morton’s Neuroma is a condition caused by thickening of the tissue around the nerve that leads to the toes. The pain can be mild to intense and is located in the ball of the foot (forefoot) and can radiate to the toes. It commonly occurs in women who wear tight and/or high heel shoes, but is also seen in runners, and cyclists.
The most common presentation is burning in the ball of the foot, an inability to wear tight shoes or the feeling of needing to remove a tight shoe, and tingling or a change in sensation that radiates to one or more toes. Occasionally, people will feel a “click” when they massage the area.
A number of other conditions present in a similar way to Morton’s Neuroma, the most common being;
Capsulitis - Inflammation around the metatarsal joint capsule.
Bursitis – Inflammation or formation of a busrsa (fluid filled sac) in between two metatarsal heads
At Foot Right Podiatry, we use a variety of techniques to assess your forefoot pain to aid in diagnosis of your condition. Commonly, we will recommend you have an Ultrasound to get a definitive diagnosis. Podiatrists are able to refer for this scan.
Treatment
Depending on the location and severity of your condition treatment options will vary, however common treatments for Morton’s Neuroma are:
• Footwear change
• Application of a metatarsal dome to increase space and reduce pressure between your metatarsal heads hence reducing impingement on the nerve – this pad can be applied directly to your shoes or placed on a removable insole
• Orthotics to improve your foot function and reduce pressure on the metatarsal heads
• Manual therapy i.e. foot mobilisation and massage
• Referral for cortisone injection
• Referral for surgical opinion