What is Morton's Neuroma?
Morton's Neuroma is the common name for a condition that can affect the balls of your feet. It can be painful, and it usually impacts the area between your third and fourth toe.
What's Actually Happening with Morton's Neuroma?
When the tissue around a nerve of one of your toes becomes thickened, it can cause a stinging, burning pain. It can also cause numbness in the same area.
What are the Symptoms of Morton's Neuroma?
You can't see signs of Morton's Neuroma on the outside of the foot. No bump, no swelling, etc.
But the physical symptoms are very real, and can be quite a drag. Here’s what you may be dealing with in terms of symptoms:
The aforementioned pebble in the shoe feeling. (Except, you can't get it out, in this case.)
Pain in the ball of your feet that can also impact your toes
Numbness or a "tingly" feeling in your toes
5 Factors That Contribute to Morton's Neuroma
1. High Heel Shoes and Morton's Neuroma
Wearing high heels an lead to Morton’s Neuroma
Like many foot problems (such as bunions), Morton's Neuroma can be a result of wearing high-heeled shoes. Putting your feet into unnatural positions by wearing high heels isn't worth it. So please take care with you feet.
Switching to more comfortable, natural-fitting shoes can do the trick when it comes to relieving pain. So get yourself a pair of comfy, supportive shoes with a generous toe box.
2. Sports and Morton's Neuroma
Certain sports lend themselves to Morton's Neuroma because of the stress they upon the foot. Here are some examples:
Running or jogging too much, resulting in undue, repetitive pressure upon the feet
Sports that require tight footwear. Examples are rock climbing, skiing or snowboarding in tight boots, or dancing
3. Morton's Neuroma and Previous Conditions
If you've been dealing with a previous foot ailment such as hammertoe, this can lead to Morton’s Neuroma. The foot is such a complex system, having a previous ailment can effect the overall health of the foot.
4. Genetics and Morton's Neuroma
While I can't say that Morton's Neuroma is a genetic condition, we do see it more commonly in people who have "flat feet".
Surgery for Morton's Neuroma
You may need surgery to relieve the symptoms of Morton's Neuroma so you can get back to doing your favorite activities without pain.
The surgery isn't all that complicated. What we want to do is to relieve the pressure on your foot. We may do this by cutting the ligament binding the bones of your foot
Recovery Time for Morton's Neuroma Surgery
Let's talk about recovery time for this surgery. You may be in a post-surgical shoe for 2-4 weeks. Most people are back in their normal footwear from 2-6 weeks after surgery. Not bad.