Frequently, callus will form under this high pressure area.The callus may aggravate the pain and, although removing the callus may alleviate the discomfort, the callus is not the cause of the problem. Rather it is the result of an underlying prominent bone.
Treatment
The principle is to decrease pressure under the metatarsal head by transferring it to the shaft area.
How to Locate the Metatarsal Pad in Your Shoe
Carefully palpate the bottom of your foot to find the areas of maximum tenderness.These you will find are usually directly under a hard bone in the ball of your foot.
Mark the tender areas with a small amount of lipstick. (A color that will contrast with the color of the shoes insoles.)
Place your bare foot into the shoe and take 2-3 steps.
Remove your shoe and locate the marks inside.
Remove a small piece of the paper from the sticky surface of the metatarsal pad. Place the pad in the shoe so that the edge of the pad is behind the spot or spots on the insole of the shoe.Try it out. Relocate pad if necessary to achieve maximal pain relief.Then remove remaining paper and stick the pad permanaently in the proper location.
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