Introduction
The ball of the foot is a part of the sole of the foot, which is formed by the basic joints of the toes and a fat body (padding) above them. The ball of the foot is in contact with the ground and carries a large part of the body weight. The ball of the foot is therefore exposed to great stress in everyday life, which can cause pain in the ball of the foot. In addition to a heavy load, the pain in the ball of the foot can also be caused by various diseases, which is why long-lasting pain in the ball of the foot should be clarified by a doctor.
Causes
The most frequent cause of pain in the ball of the foot is overloading or overuse of the soccer, for example after a hike or after standing for a long time. The development of pain in the ball of the foot is promoted by wearing the wrong shoes. Even severe overweight can lead to overloading of the soccer and pain in it.
Diseases of the metatarsophalangeal joints of the toes, which form the ball of the foot, can also cause pain in the ball of the foot. These include inflammation of the metatarsophalangeal joints, inflammation of the sensitive periosteum surrounding the metatarsophalangeal joints, and wear and tear or fractures of the metatarsophalangeal joints. Furthermore, pain in the ball of the foot can also be caused by a gout or rheumatic disease, by a circulatory disorder of the foot or by damage to the nerves of the soccer.
A bone tumor can also be the cause of long-lasting pain in the ball of the foot, which occurs without overloading the soccer. Furthermore, congenital or acquired malformations of the foot can also be the cause of pain in the ball of the foot. The following diseases can cause pain in the ball of the foot:
- Fatigue fracture in the metatarsus
- Metatarsalgia
- Morton Neurom
- Gout
- Arthrosis of the toes
- Morbus Ledderhose
- Snap feet
- Splayfoot
- Midfoot Arthrosis
