If metatarsalgia is due to a systemic disease (disease affecting an entire organ system) such as hyperuricemia (gout), its therapy is the primary focus.
General measures
- Shoes should have a soft sole.
- Avoid shoes with high heels – if a heel, then only a low one
- Prefer shoes that are cobbled wide in the front.
- Depending on the disease and stage of the disease:
- Relief and immobilization
- Sports leave
Conventional non-surgical therapy methods
- Medical foot care – removal of calluses by a specialist (podiatrist).
- For Morton’s neuralgia (nerve compression syndrome): therapeutic local anesthesia (TLA; injection of local anesthetics to nerves, muscles, or painful regions) with and without the addition of glucocorticoids.
Medical aids
- Insoles prescription
- Wearing special custom insoles (cushioning insoles).
- Incorporation of a so-called Marquardt butterfly roll (orthopedic shoe fitting) in the shoes – serves to relieve the central metatarsal heads.
- Fatigue fracture (fatigue fracture): footbed with targeted support (especially the fracture site), sole stiffening, roll-off aid.
- Bunion hollow foot deformity: bedding of the foot, which lead to relief of the metatarsal head region.
- Hallux rigidus (synonyms: osteoarthritis of the metatarsophalangeal joint of the big toe): see below the topic of the same name.
- Hallux valgus (synonyms: bunion; crooked toe): see below the topic of the same name.
- Instability in the tarsometatarsal joints (tarsal–metatarsal joints): sole stiffening and metatarsal roll.
- Morton’s neuralgia (synonyms: Morton’s metatarsalgia, Morton’s syndrome or Morton’s neuroma): foot bedding with targeted support where the neuroma is located; roll-off support; shoe-related care if necessary.
Physical therapy (including physiotherapy)
- Training of the foot muscles
