Cause:

• Compressed nerve against the ligament in the ball of the foot, causing inflammation around the nerve, and in some cases, within the internal structures of the nerve.
• Mechanical imbalance of the foot secondary to poor foot posture will cause one area of the ball of the foot to be subjected to more pressure than other areas of the ball of the foot

Symptoms:

• Burning
• Numbness
• Shooting pain
• Tingling
• Cramping in the toes with weight bearing or closed shoes.

Signs:

• Beginning of the toes starting to separate
• 
  Feeling like a ball or a marble is on the bottom of the foot.

Treatment:

• Wider comfortable shoes with good cushioning and good support
• In patients who wear high heel shoes, using a shoe with a slightly lower heel decreases pressure on the ball of the foot
• Prescription orthotic (shoe insert) to support poor foot posture and weight distribution in the foot
• Physical Therapy modalities to reduce the inflammation
• Oral medication to decrease the inflammation around and within the nerve
• Injectible medication to decrease the inflammation around and within the nerve
• Stretching of tight calf muscles to reduce the amount of pressure forced down on the forefoot during the point in the walking cycle when the foot is in full contact with the ground