Morton's neuroma is a painful condition that affects the ball of your foot, most commonly the area between your third and fourth toes. It involves a thickening of the tissue around one of the nerves leading to your toes, which can cause a sharp, burning pain.
A feeling like you are standing on a folded sock or a stone.
Burning pain in the ball of the foot that may radiate into the toes.
Tingling or numbness in the affected toes.
Pain that intensifies when wearing tight or high-heeled shoes.
Symptoms that temporarily improve when you take off your shoes and rub your foot.
Physical Examination
X-rays: Primarily used to rule out other causes of foot pain, such as a stress fracture.
Ultrasound: Highly effective at visualizing the thickened nerve and measuring its size.
MRI: Provides a detailed image of the soft tissues to confirm the diagnosis and determine the exact location of the neuroma.
Treatment usually begins with non-invasive changes to foot mechanics and footwear.
Switching to shoes with a wide toe box and lower heels to reduce pressure on the nerve.
Using metatarsal pads or custom orthotics to lift and separate the metatarsal bones.
Activity modification to avoid repetitive high-impact movements that stress the forefoot.
Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs to help manage localized pain and swelling.
Corticosteroid injections to reduce nerve inflammation.
Physical therapy to stretch the calf muscles and improve foot flexibility.
Neurectomy surgery to remove the affected nerve tissue if conservative treatments fail.