# Metatarsalgia Injury



## ZmanTX (Jun 6, 2013)

Has anyone had success in dealing with this type of injury?

Metatarsalgia (meta·tar·sal·gia/ (-tahr-sal´jah) by definition is pain and tenderness in the metatarsal region, specifically on ball of your foot.  Started doing RICE (rest, icing, compression, and elevation).


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## Dame (Jun 6, 2013)

This is a common injury with ballet dancers. I haven't had to deal with it in decades but ice was always part of the treatment. It's also a sign of poor nutrition for the amount of work expected of those muscles (thus why common in ballet dancers).

*Causes*
Metatarsalgia is characterized by pain and tenderness along the ball of the foot. For dancers, this is commonly caused by instability in the joints of the smaller toes. Repeated sprains and overstretched ligaments can lead to laxity, or increased flexibility in these joints. For a dancer, years of overwork and forcing of extreme motion in the foot can increase laxity and may cause subluxation of these joints.
*Treatment*
As with all acute inflammatory conditions, ice and rest are appropriate. Strengthening the muscles that control toe flexion can be helpful. This can be done with towel scrunches (using your toes to grab a towel placed on the ground and drawing it towards you). A metatarsal pad just behind the balls of the feet can help prevent subluxations and may relieve pain.


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## Red Flag 1 (Jun 6, 2013)

Zach,
Just what is the injury? Have you seen anyone in Health care about it? Do you have a working diagnosis?There are things that can happen in the metatarsal area that are not injury related. Nice enough graphic.

RF 1


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## ZmanTX (Jun 9, 2013)

Hey sorry for taking so long to write back.



Red Flag 1 said:


> Zach,
> Just what is the injury? Have you seen anyone in Health care about it? Do you have a working diagnosis?There are things that can happen in the metatarsal area that are not injury related. Nice enough graphic.
> 
> RF 1


 
Basically RF to answer your first question the injury has been and continues to be pain(Like something is drilling that specific spot on the bottom of my foot) where the little dude in the pic is pointing. It happened a while back when I was doing lunges and I felt a little strain and I immediately stopped knowing that doing more lunges would make it worse.
Also at that point I began to suffer from Plantar Fasciitis on the same foot and at that point I consulted someone in the health care field about my situation and they replied that the plantar was the cause of the pain, which now I believe could have masked the problem in the upper metatarsal region. From then I began using night splints, rehab exercises, RICE and so far the plantar has turned into a non issue...
However during another more recent workout I added traveling lunges to my routine and as soon as I started lunging the pain(same spot as the pic) came back. Haven't been able to consult anyone yet... I came up with the metatarsalgia injury just by doing my own research and crossing certain things out. Overall the next step is getting it checked by a Doctor ASAP along with an X-Ray(Hoping it's not a stress fracture which might require an MRI for clarification).



Dame said:


> This is a common injury with ballet dancers. I haven't had to deal with it in decades but ice was always part of the treatment. It's also a sign of poor nutrition for the amount of work expected of those muscles (thus why common in ballet dancers).
> 
> *Causes*
> Metatarsalgia is characterized by pain and tenderness along the ball of the foot. For dancers, this is commonly caused by instability in the joints of the smaller toes. Repeated sprains and overstretched ligaments can lead to laxity, or increased flexibility in these joints. For a dancer, years of overwork and forcing of extreme motion in the foot can increase laxity and may cause subluxation of these joints.
> ...


 
Dame, thank you for the info that's good stuff.

ZM


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## digrar (Jun 9, 2013)

Podiatrist fitted orthotics sorted out my planta fasciitis. I'm seeing a massage therapist now who does myofascial release by cupping. She cups my feet and they go from untouchable, tight as a very tight thing and you can feel the lumps in the fascia, to A1 in minutes.


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## Red Flag 1 (Jun 9, 2013)

See a doc, get a diagnosis. Until that happens, all we are doing is making "educated" stabs.

Best of luck, and let us know how things turn out.

RF 1


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