Pain In The Balls Of The Feet After Running

The pain you're feeling in the ball of your foot is likely metatarsalgia. It commonly develops in people who participate in high-impact activities like running or jogging. With each stride, you transfer the majority of your body weight onto your toes as well as the first and second metatarsals, which are the bones that basically make up the ball of your foot. This can lead to injury and subsequent pain.

Development

The repeated impact of your stride can lead to inflammation along the head of the metatarsals, which is the tip of the bone that connects to the phalanx bones of your toes. Like any other form of inflammation, it often results in pain. This pain is sharp and usually isolated to the balls of the feet.

Symptoms

Besides pain with the balls of the feet, you may experience a burning or aching discomfort within the toes. This discomfort may also be accompanied by numbness, tingling or a sensation that you're standing on a pebble. Pain typically worsens whenever you flex the foot and dissipates upon rest.

Treatment

Treating this pain usually entails self-care measures. Rest is one of the more beneficial methods, but icing and pain relievers can also aid in recovery. Ice the affected area of the foot for no more than 20 minutes at a time. Any longer could exacerbate your injury. Take pain relievers as directed on the packaging.

Besides treating the symptom, look for ways to resolve the cause of your pain. If you're running on old, ill-fitting or improper shoes, pick up a new pair. You may also want to invest in insoles fashioned to absorb the impact of your stride or an arch support to more evenly distribute your weight across your feet. Also, consider picking up metatarsal pads to relieves the stress placed on this area of the foot.

Complications

Although many people continue running through the pain, leaving this condition untreated can lead to other problems that may waylay your training. The pain may cause you to overcompensate by changing your stride, which could result in an injury within the lower back or hip. As with any sports injury, talk to your doctor to determine what form of treatment is best for you.