If you're bothered by pain in the balls of your feet, chances are you're suffering from one of a variety of ailments related to your metatarsal bones. Forefoot pain can severely and negatively impact your life, causing discomfort not only when you're walking or running, but all throughout the day. In some cases, the pain can be so intense it renders you virtually immovable. You may even find yourself walking with a limp to account for the pain you're experiencing. Bursitis of the feet – Bursitis is an inflammation of the fluid filled sacs that cushion joints in the body. In the feet, it can manifest as achy, swollen joints with restricted motion. Bursitis is often most painful in the morning. After trial and error to determine the best location, your met pads will be there for you every day. When positioned properly, metatarsal foot pads help to take some of the load off the balls of your feet. But make sure you're getting the right solution.

Plantar Warts – Caused by a virus, these warts are located on the soles of the foot. They are usually harmless and go away by themselves within a couple of years. They can however, be uncomfortable when they are in a weight bearing location. A metatarsal pad, or met pad for short, is a common solution to forefoot pain. Recommended by podiatrists and other health care providers, the pads provide pain relieving support to the metatarsal bones. What are the Medical Causes of Forefoot Pain?Each of your feet has five metatarsal bones, and the forward ends of these bones form the “ball” of your foot. Proper support of these bones can relieve and prevent forefoot pain. Recommended by podiatrists and other health care professionals, metatarsal pads (met pads for short), provide pain relieving support to your metatarsal bones. The best metatarsal pads are ones that attach to your insole, rather than your foot, and are easily adjustable. You may need to adjust the met pad a few times to figure out the right spot for it, so velcro is better than adhesive. Karl Landorf, PhD, a senior lecturer and research coordinator in the Podiatry Department at La Trobe University says, "Patients with relatively uncomplicated forefoot pain will generally benefit the most from a met dome. In particular, anyone with pain under the middle metatarsal heads, and that includes both younger and older adults.” How Do Metatarsal Foot Pads Stay in Place?

When testing the various shapes on runners, researchers found the dome shape was the most effective met pad option for reducing pressure. The U-shaped pad was the second most effective, while the donut shaped pad didn't result in significant changes. Study participants found the met dome shape to be the most comfortable. Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) – The forefoot is the most common place for RA to produce discomfort. RA is an inflammatory condition that affects joints in the body. This unique design uses Velcro to attach the met pad under the top surface of your insoles. It is designed to work with Tread Labs insoles for metatarsalgia. This system has the advantages listed above plus: If you have an insole or shoe that you're happy with, a met pad can be strategically placed to provide the best relief. Advantages if this design include: Be aware, however, that metatarsal support pads are not cushions located under the balls of your feet. Instead, they are strategically placed pads, just behind the balls of your feet. For some, getting the right placement can be trial and error.

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Metatarsal support pads work by reducing the pressure on the ball of your foot by supporting the metatarsal bone just behind the ball of your foot. By distributing some of the pressure to the shafts of the bones, the pads diminish the pressure on the balls of your feet. Velcro does not lose its grip like adhesives, allowing for many adjustments without compromising the attachment.

As you put your shoes on each day, you will not peel the met pad from the insole. It is protected, below the top of the insole. Latex and leather – Leather is used to reinforce the softer latex material. Some people are allergic to latex materials and should avoid using this type of met pad. Wool or polyester felt – Less resilient and firmer than polyurethane foam, felt is best if very firm support is needed. However, felt can be slow to dry which can be a negative. Metatarsal pads come in a wide variety of materials, but all are designed to do one thing: reduce your foot pain. Metatarsal pads are most commonly made from the following materials:

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Metatarsalgia – This term describes the general symptoms of forefoot pain. It is often used as a catch-all for forefoot ailments.