Ball of the Foot Pain
Pain in the 2nd Toe While Walking [Causes, Symptoms & Best Treatment]
Pain in the 2nd Toe While Walking: Make 100% sure you stop living in pain. This guide will show the most common causes and the BEST Treatment options!
Look:
- 2nd toe joint pain can be improved with a few simple treatment changes.
- We are foot doctors & we see this problem get better almost every day.
- The goal is to solve this problem without medication or surgery if at all possible.
So, let’s GO!
Table of Contents
Why do I have second toe pain while walking? Treatment Video:
Pain in the second toe when walking causes:
Ball of the Foot Pain Pictures & Photo Gallery:
Look:
- Metatarsalgia: which means generalized foot pain without a specific cause.
- Second toe capsulitis: this is the inflammation of the second toe joint capsule.
- Capsulitis is related to hammertoe formation, and can lead to a plantar plate tear. There is some overlap between these three disorders. As they get worse tearing and ligament damage can occur.
- Morton’s neuroma: this is the damage and inflammation to the nerves between and underneath the metatarsal joints.
- Fat pad atrophy of the ball of the foot: this is the loss of cushioning in the ball the foot.
- Plantar Plate Tear: A plantar plate tear is ripping of the ligaments holding the toe together.
So, click on the photo gallery to see the specific causes of your ball of the foot pain!
Click on the photo gallery to see the specific causes of your ball of the foot pain!
Pain in the 2nd Toe While Walking Overview:
There are three common reasons you can have a second toe pain while walking.
- You could have toenail problems with the second toe because it is the longest toe.
- You could actually have a problem with the second toe itself.
- And you could be having pain from where the second toe attaches to the ball of the foot.
- We have included these three causes below, with possible treatments.
- Remember to see your podiatrist if you’re having any problems.
Most Common Causes of Pain in the 2nd Toe While Walking:
- Second toe pain is extremely common because the second toe is usually the longest in the foot, and as we push off, it absorbs almost all of the body weight, especially when we are running!
- These are the most common causes of pain in the 2nd toe while walking:
- The most common cause of second toe pain is hammertoes, callus pain, calluses, swollen toes that may be broken and predislocation syndrome.
- These are the most common causes of second toe pain in descending order:
Hammer Toes
- If your toes are crooked and painful, they are called hammertoes.
- This will usually lead to calluses on the tip, bottom, and top of the toes. Learn how to treat them!
- This is due to the tightening of your second toe joint. It can also happen in your other toe joints.
Black Spot or Bleeding under the Toenail:
- There are many causes of black toenails, but blood buildup under your toenails is the most common cause.
- This is especially common if you have started running or wearing new shoes recently.
- These can be known as joggers. Don’t worry. The toe can grow back to normal in most cases.
- Learn how to treat them!
Swollen Painful Toe:
- The toe could be swollen for many reasons, including trauma. Learn how to treat them!
- If it is just 1 foot, this may mean an injury, but if it is both feet, this may mean you have swelling throughout your whole body or that you are damaging both equally.
- The swollen toe can potentially be dangerous, so make sure to see your podiatrist if this is a long-term problem for you.
Foot Corn:
- A corn is a hard pebble-like callus that forms on the tip, on top, and in between the toes. Learn how to treat them!
- This is like a more concentrated and focused callus that digs into your skin.
Callus Foot Pain
- A callus is usually associated with corns and hammertoes on your toes. Learn how to treat them!
- If there is a hard spot in the middle, this can be a corn.
- These develop in the most pressure-packed regions of your foot.
Predislocation Syndrome:
- This usually occurs in the second toe, especially if it feels loose or starts to cross over.
- This is also known as a plantar plate injury. This is most common in the second toe.
- This can be like a sprained ankle ligament, except this time it is in your toe.
Toes Crossing Over:
- Crossing over the toe is usually related to a bunion.
- The second toe usually crosses over the big toe joint, and the big toe joint crosses under the second toe.
- Please think of this as a pre-dislocation of the big toe joint, and it pushes the second toe joint up and above it.
2nd Toenail Pain:
Second toe pain is also very commonly caused as a result of nail injuries that you can learn about here, such as thick nails that won’t get thinner and ingrown toenails:
Nail Diseases of the Second Toe
- We usually see second toenail problems because the second hole is the longest toe in most people.
- While standing all day and working, your second toe can be rubbing up against the front of your shoe, causing numerous problems.
- Most toenail problems are not dangerous, but they can lead to bleeding pain and potentially even fungus in the future.
Ball of the Foot Pain:
- Pain in the ball the foot is one of the most common types of foot pain.
- Common types of ball of the foot second toe pain are capsulitis, second metatarsal overload syndrome, metatarsal out the, and plantar plate injuries.
- We have attempted to show pictures of each of these conditions with a rough description.
- Make sure to see your podiatrist if you think any of these conditions may be happening for you!
Metatarsalgia:
- Metatarsalgia is the generalized ball of foot pain.
- This means that there is too much pressure on the front of your foot.
- The bones, the tendons the nerves in the tissue surrounding the site could all get bruised up.
- This is one of the most common causes of ball of the foot pain that we see.
- Click on the link to see how to take care of this common problem!
Morton’s neuroma:
- A Morton’s neuroma is the irritation of nerves in the ball of the foot.
- This can result in sharp, shooting, and tingling pain.
- This is also a very common condition. It can feel as though if your foot is clicking and popping by the third and fourth toe.
- You can also feel like you have a bunched-up sock and the ball of the foot.
Capsulitis:
- Capsulitis in the ball the foot is due to the ligaments and tendons getting irritated in the foot.
- This is very common around the second and the third toe joints.
- These are the longest metatarsal bones in your foot, and if there is tightness through the ankle and increase pressure on the foot, these tendons can very easily get agitated.
- Click on the above link to find out how to treat this prevalent condition.
Ball of the foot bruising:
- Ball of the foot pressure can frequently result in bruising.
- This can result in calluses, corns, and pressure buildup.
- This is a very common injury. Click on the above link to see how to take care of this very important problem.
Plantar plate injury:
- The plantar plate is a ligament that holds the metatarsal phalangeal joints together.
- This is an important ligament as it has to support your body weight to prevent your toes from coming apart.
- If this starts to tear, become inflamed, or injured, it can cause you significant pain.
- This is a very common problem with solutions available.
Ball of the Foot Pain Treatment Infographic:
Ball of the Foot Home Treatment:
- Consider taping, orthotics, and great shoes as a combination to fix your foot problem.
- Products are not always necessary to fix your problem.
- The key is correcting the biomechanical problems that are leading to forefoot overload.
- Foot overload means too much pressure in the ball of the foot.
- Generally, something called ankle joint equinus can lead to too much pressure in the ball of your foot. This means your ankle is not flexible enough to move up and down.
- Ball of the foot pain treatment consists of two phases, first is control inflammation, next is to control bio-mechanics.
Remove Control Inflammation:
Massage & Ice Products:
- The metal ball is one of my personal favorites.
- This works great for your arch, less for the ball of the foot.
- These can help relax the arch or heel ligaments, leading to less pressure in the ball of the foot.
- Pills, creams, and ice will never completely fix your problem alone. What they will do is reduce the pressure on the area.
Menthol Based Gels:
- Biofreeze is one of our favorites.
- These gels have been studied to work 2x as long as ice.
- This works great for the ball of the foot.
- Consider using these as options when resting on the couch or going to sleep at night.
Massage Sticks:
- These can work great for loosening your muscles.
- This is means for your hamstring and calf muscles. This can loosen the ankle tightness, putting pressure on the ball of your foot.
- This allows less tightness and pressure on the ball of your foot.
Ball of the Foot Stress Relief.
- The key is to prevent future pain.
- If you can get rid of the pain and swelling, this will let you start walking normally.
- If you can walk normally, the vast majority of your pain should gradually start to go away.
- This means proper cushion, proper stability, and pressure relief from the front of your foot.
- This will relieve pressure from your big toe, your 2nd toe, your Morton’s neuroma, your plantar plate, hammertoes and joint capsules.
Best Metatarsalgia Shoes:
- Getting a great supportive pair of shoes will make sure that there is pressure removed from the ball of your foot.
- This is especially important if you have metatarsalgia, Morton’s neuroma, 2nd metatarsal overload syndrome, and capsulitis!
- Consider shoes combined with a good supportive orthotic for the best pain relief!
- The following link will show you what our favorites are.
Best Ball of the Foot Insoles:
- These are our recommended orthotics & insoles.
- There are different types of different shoes.
- Women’s shoes usually need a less bulky orthotic but allow for less correction.
- A full-length orthotic requires a running shoe, boot, or comfortable walking/dress shoe.
Best Full-Length Orthotics:
- Full-length orthotics are the most recommended type for the ball of the foot pain.
- Be aware that if they are too uncomfortable, it might be worth starting with a less corrective pair.
- Eventually, you can then work your way up to these.
Best Dress Shoe Orthotics:
- These are a stronger option for shoes with tight dress shoes.
- Just be aware that less corrective orthotics & tight shoes are usually not a good combination.
Best 3/4 Length Orthotics:
- These may be a good option for the ball of the foot if the full-length orthotics are too tight or too uncomfortable.
Get A Great Dynamic Stretch:
- It is possible to stretch on your own, but these products can also really help!
- Personally, I have the stationary block set up in my kitchen to stretch every day multiple times while getting my coffee!
- This will take pressure off of the ball of your foot.
Ball of the Foot Pain