If you have foot pain, the experts at Active Podiatry in Indianapolis and Crawfordsville, IN, can help. Dr. Yong Chae and his staff help their active patients with metatarsalgia, a common source of inflammatory foot discomfort. Let us help you keep your active lifestyle and mobility.
Oh, my aching feet...
It's something Dr. Chae hears often at his Indianapolis, IN, office. Foot pain requires an expert eye and careful review of symptoms to pinpoint location, precipitating factors and an effective care plan. Besides corns, calluses, plantar fasciitis, Morton's neuroma and other podaitric conditions, metatarsalgia causes people of all ages significant discomfort and dysfunction.
MedicalNewsToday says that metatarsalgia involves the ball of the foot and the long, tube-like metatarsal bones. Because of their location, function and shape, these bones absorb the significant pressures of standing, walking, running, dancing, playing tennis and a wide range of high-impact athletic activities. Also, these bones may catch and pinch nearby nerves.
If you come to Active Podiatry complaining of burning and stabbing pain in the ball of your foot, Dr. Chae may suspect metatarsalgia. A hands-on exam and X-rays can confirm his diagnosis.
Treating metatarsalgia
Conservative measures, fine-tuned to your overall health, activity level and foot structure, work well for this irritating problem. Dr. Chae may recommend:
- Accommodating deformities, such as high arches, with shoe orthotics (inserts)
- Resting the affected foot and icing the tender areas
- Stretching exercises and lower impact aerobic activities, such as swimming and cycling
- Taking anti-inflammatory medications, such as ibuprofen
- Injections of corticosteroids to reduce swelling
- Achieving and keeping a healthy body weight
- Wearing quality footwear with adequately-sized toe boxes and sufficient arch support
Also, you must treat other health conditions you may have, such as diabetes and arthritis, as these often aggravate metatarsalgia. While surgery is not the treatment of choice for this kind of foot pain, co-exisiting condtions, such as hammertoes, corns and calluses, may warrant it.
We'll help you deal with it
Foot pain--particularly metatarsalgia, can be managed. At Active Podiatry in Indianapolis, Dr. Yong Chae helps patients have their best podiatric health and to stay active. For a consultation on your foot pain, phone either our Indianapolis office at (317) 245-6223 or our Crawfordsville location at (765) 362-7200.