Foot pains can be uncomfortable, and it is even worse when you aren’t sure whether you are dealing with metatarsalgia or plantar fasciitis. If you are in Queens, NYC, you don’t need to endure the discomfort caused by metatarsalgia or plantar fasciitis. At Best Foot Dr. NY, our podiatric surgeons are here to examine your foot and diagnose your condition.
In this article, we discuss the key differences between metatarsalgia and plantar fasciitis and how to treat them.
What Is Metatarsalgia?
Metatarsalgia refers to pain in the metatarsal area of the foot. The metatarsal bones are five bones that emerge from the arch of the foot and end at the base of the toes. Metatarsalgia pain acquires its name from these five bones, with ‘algia’ being a suffix meaning nerve pain.
The major source of pain when you have metatarsalgia is inflammation, and it feels like the pain you experience when you have sore feet after a long day. It can develop even as you engage in routine activities like running or jumping. In rare circumstances, you can get metatarsalgia due to a deformity on your foot or when you wear shoes that are either too tight or too loose.
Symptoms of Metatarsalgia
At Best Foot Dr. NY, we help you recognize the symptoms of metatarsalgia that may require professional attention, ensuring you receive the best care possible in Queens, NYC.
- Worsening pain: If you stand, flex your feet, or run without shoes and feel pain that does not improve when you rest, you may have metatarsalgia.
- Sharp burning or aching pain: A sharp, aching pain at the ball of your feet, just behind the toes, is another sign.
- Feeling like you have a pebble in your shoe: When you feel constant discomfort from this sensation, but there is nothing in your shoe, it is caused by metatarsalgia.
- Tingling pain: Metatarsalgia will numb your feet or cause a sharp, tingling pain in your toes.
Groups of Metatarsalgia
At Best Foot Dr. NY, our foot and ankle specialists categorize metatarsalgia into three distinct groups.
- Primary metatarsalgia: Primary metatarsalgia occurs when you experience problems with your metatarsals, affecting how metatarsal bones relate to other parts of the foot. Examples include calluses, bunions, hammertoes, and high arches.
- Secondary metatarsalgia: Secondary metatarsalgia occurs when you have other health issues or do something that causes excessive pressure on your forefoot. Some examples include gout, rheumatoid arthritis, and Freiberg disease.
- Iatrogenic Metatarsalgia: If you undergo forefoot surgery, you could develop some complications due to changes in your big toe that cause metatarsalgia pain.
How to Treat Metatarsalgia
There are a few protocols that you can observe as metatarsalgia treatment, including the following:
- Change the type of shoes you wear, and avoid shoes with high heels, narrow toes, or uncomfortable fits. Get shoes that have good support and fit perfectly.
- Reduce your participation in high-impact activities, such as running and standing.
- If you are overweight, find ways to work toward achieving a healthy weight to reduce foot pain.
- After a long day, place ice on your feet to reduce inflammation and relieve some of the pain.
What Is Plantar Fasciitis?
Plantar fasciitis is an inflammation of the part of the foot called plantar fascia. The plantar fascia is the strong, fibrous attachment that starts from your heels to the ball of your foot and toes.
The plantar fascia keeps the bones of your foot attached together, and it always adopts a shape like an arch. When the plantar fascia gets overused or overstretched, it becomes inflamed, and you will feel pain when you walk or use your foot.
If you visit Best Foot Dr. NY, our local podiatrist will diagnose your condition and, if the pain is severe, may recommend metatarsalgia surgery to address plantar fasciitis or metatarsalgia.
Common Symptoms of Plantar Fasciitis
Some of the common signs of plantar fasciitis include:
- Pain at the arch of your foot. The pain will keep changing depending on what you are doing at that time of the day.
- Pain in the heels when you stand up after sitting down or when you wake up, and it goes away for a few minutes.
- Swelling around the heels.
- Stiffness around the arch of your foot.
- A tightened Achilles tendon that causes a dull, constant pain.
How to Treat Plantar Fasciitis
Plantar fasciitis is managed using over-the-counter medication and home remedies. Some of the common treatments include:
- Pain medications, like ibuprofen, aspirin, and naproxen, should be taken to reduce pain and inflammation.
- Reduce your participation in sports activities that caused plantar fasciitis in the first place.
- You can place ice on your foot for about fifteen minutes at least twice daily.
- Wear shoes that provide you with proper support and are properly fitting.
- Use shoe inserts or orthotics that add extra support to uncomfortable shoes.
- You can get a massage to ease the pain in your foot.
If your symptoms are too extreme, a doctor for plantar fasciitis might recommend a plantar fasciitis surgery.
Get Treated by Our Top Rated Podiatrist Today
Plantar fasciitis and metatarsalgia share various similarities, except in the location of the pain you will feel. At Best Foot Dr. NY, our top-rated podiatrists in Queens, Brooklyn, and Manhattan, NYC, will examine your foot and provide the right treatment to eliminate your pain and related symptoms. Contact us today if you need expert care.