Metatarsalgia is pain in the ball of the foot, also called the metatarsal region. The pain can sometimes worsen with standing or walking. Some patients can experience symptoms like an ache in the foot, along tingling or numbness in the toes. The pain symptom may originate where the second, third and fourth toes meet the ball of the foot.
Non-surgical treatment options for metatarsalgia are typically limited to reducing activity or using splints or orthotics to reduce symptoms. The most common surgical option is the Weil osteotomy which can relieve pain symptoms and correct the misalignment of toes.
Weil Osteotomy
The Weil Osteotomy procedure relieves the symptoms of claw toe, persistent metatarsalgia, MTP joint synovitis or MTP subluxation by shortening the end of the metatarsal at the base of the affected toe. This provides room for the toe to relax and return to its normal position.
“Osteotomy" is a surgical procedure that involves bone cutting. The surgeon removes a wedge of bone located near the damaged joint. The procedure is supposed to cause a shift of weight from the area where there is cartilage damage to an area where there is more normal or healthy cartilage.
Patients are placed in a post-operative shoe or boot and recovery takes from six to eight weeks.