Morton’s Neuroma

Morton’s Neuroma is a painful condition that affects the ball of your foot, most commonly the area between your third and fourth toes. Morton’s neuroma may feel as if you are standing on a pebble in your shoe or on a fold in your sock. A neuroma is the thickening of a local nerve nerve as a result of compression and irritation.

Symptoms Of Morton’s Neuroma

Usually there is no particular obvious symptom of this condition, such as a lump but instead you may experience:

• A feeling as if you’re standing on a pebble in your shoe

• Pain in the ball of your foot that may radiate into your toes

• Tingling, burning or numbness in your toes

At first symptoms may only be felt wearing narrow toed shoes. Symptoms may go away temporarily with massage, removal of shoes and/ or reduced activity but over time symptoms will become progressively worse and may persist for days or weeks. As the neuroma becomes bigger temporary changes in the nerve can become permanent. Therefore early treatment is vital.

Treatment of Morton’s Neuroma

Our Podiatrist or Chartered Physiotherapists will assess your condition and provide you with the correct treatment depending on the severity of your symptoms.

Treatments often include:

* address footwear issues

* correct biomechanical issues and make the forefoot stable

* refer for steroid injection

* surgical removal Orthotics devices and arch supports for your shoes can help reduce pressure on the nerve.

Our podiatrist will work closely with our physio’s who specialise in biomechanics, and determine whether you need custom made orthotic devices or over the counter insole, which we have available in our clinics. For full details on this service click here.

Our Expertise

Morton’s neuroma often occurs in response to irritation, injury or pressure on the nerve.

Contributing factors include:

Footwear - Wearing high-heeled shoes or tight, ill-fitting shoes can place pressure on your toes.

Sports - Participating in high-impact athletic activities such as jogging or running may subject your feet to repetitive trauma.

Foot deformities - People who have bunions, hammertoes, flatfeet or excessive flexibility are at higher risk of developing Morton’s neuroma.

Our Chartered Physiotherapists will use a variety of evidence based therapies and treatments to help reduce your pain, and get you back on your feet as quickly as possible.