Are Your Favorite Stilettos Causing a Morton’s Neuroma? 

From Jennifer Lawrence navigating the stairs at Cannes in flip-flops to Kristen Stewart famously kicking off her Christian Louboutins on the red carpet, there is a growing trend of female celebrities ditching their high heels. As podiatrists celebrating Women’s Health Awareness Month, we are here for it!

Squeezing your feet into narrow, unyielding toe boxes while balancing on a spike comes with a painful, long-term price. If you have ever kicked off your heels at the end of a long workday and felt a burning, tingling sensation radiating through the ball of your foot, you aren’t just dealing with normal muscle fatigue. You may be developing a Morton’s Neuroma. Edmond Norman Foot & Ankle explains below. 

What is a Morton’s Neuroma?

A Morton’s Neuroma is a painful condition that affects the ball of your foot, most commonly developing between the third and fourth toes. It involves a thickening of the tissue around one of the digital nerves leading to your toes:

• When you wear high heels, your foot is forced into an unnatural downward angle.
• A three-inch heel can shift up to 75% of your entire body weight directly onto the delicate metatarsal bones in the front of your foot. 
• Simultaneously, the pointed toe box of the shoe violently squeezes those bones together. 

This sustained pressure pinches the nerve. Over time, the irritated nerve swells, creating a painful, inflamed mass. Many women try to brush this off as a simple cramp, but it is critical to realize that persistent aches can actually be a form of nerve pain.

The Classic Warning Signs

Because a neuroma is a nerve issue, it doesn’t present like a bruised bone or a torn muscle. Patients searching the internet for this condition almost always describe it with the same classic, unmistakable symptom: “It feels like I am constantly walking on a folded sock or a marble.”

In addition to the “marble” sensation, you may experience:

• A burning pain in the ball of your foot that radiates into your toes.
• Tingling or numbness in the toes.
• A sharp, electrical shock sensation when walking.

It is important to note that a neuroma is just one of many foot nerve conditions causing numbness, pain, and tingling. A proper evaluation is essential to rule out other culprits like diabetic neuropathy or Tarsal Tunnel Syndrome.

At-Home Relief: Nourishing Your Nerves

If you are starting to feel that tell-tale burning sensation, the first step is to immediately evaluate your footwear. Transitioning to shoes with a wide, accommodating toe box allows your metatarsal bones to spread out, letting the inflamed nerve breathe.

• You should also familiarize yourself with basic nerve health dos and don’ts, such as avoiding overly tight socks and actively managing foot inflammation with ice therapy after a long day.
• There are several highly effective ways of nourishing your nerves at home, including gentle foot massages to promote circulation and taking breaks to elevate your feet whenever possible.

Advanced Relief at Buksh Foot and Ankle

You do not have to live with debilitating nerve pain, and you rarely need invasive surgery to fix it! Once you have transitioned out of the stilettos, we can use prescription custom orthotics equipped with specialized metatarsal pads. 

• These customized pads physically spread your bones apart with every step you take, instantly relieving the mechanical compression on the nerve and allowing it to heal.

Celebrate Women’s Health Month by prioritizing your foundation and your comfort. Contact us today, schedule an evaluation, and resolve your nerve pain for good.

Bill Buksh, DPM, works alongside his expert medical staff at Edmond Norman Foot & Ankle to offer superior podiatric care to anyone in need. Pairing thorough, comprehensive remedies for common podiatric conditions with unique specialty treatments for nerve pain, he and his team would be delighted to treat your feet. Contact us to schedule your appointment today.