Pain, numbness, tingling, or burning radiating into your toes
What is a neuroma?
You have numerous small nerves in your foot that converge and run under a strong ligament that helps hold your metatarsal heads together. These nerves can become trapped under this ligament due to repetitive stresses (running), trauma, wearing narrow
shoes, or deformity and the nerve then forms scar tissue and becomes painful.
Non-Operative Treatments
Placing a metatarsal pad in your shoes BEHIND (more towards the heel) the area of tenderness can help offload the nerve and reduce symptoms
Cushioned, supportive shoes with a rocker bottom (such as Hokas) can also help offload the painful area
Topical anti-inflammatories (such as Voltaren gel)
Operative Treatments
For those who fail non-operative management, surgical removal of the neuroma can be beneficial.
An MRI is often recommended to help better define the anatomy and confirm the diagnosis.
In most cases, surgery has an 85% success rate, a 10% non-improvement rate and 5% who develop more symptoms than prior to surgery.
Surgery involves cutting the ligament between the metatarsal heads and resecting or cutting out the painful neuroma.
You are allowed to weight-bear as tolerated immediately in a stiff post-operative shoe. After your stitches are removed at 2 weeks you can transition into a supportive shoe. You should avoid impact activities for 6 weeks in order to allow healing
of the soft tissues. Patients are typically back to full activity after 3 months.
