Morton’s neuroma often occurs in response to some sort of irritation, misplaced pressure, and even injury to a toe. It is commonly known that wearing high-heeled shoes (or even badly fitting ones) can place more pressure on your toes and the ball of your foot, which can lead to an overuse injury. Certain sports. Fitness activities like jogging or running may present repetitive trauma onto your feet. This is also true of sports that use tight shoes, like snow skiing or rock climbing.

To treat this, start by preventing it from happening in the first place. Be sure to avoid wearing any sort of tight, pointy high-heeled shoes. Be sure to find shoes that fit and leave plenty of room for your toes. As with many injuries, the best initial treatment is rest, ice, compression, and elevation. This, along with pain medication can help reduce swelling and pain significantly. Physical therapy may be helpful in decreasing any existing inflammation. Many routines focus on returning any lost flexibility, as well as slowly regaining strength. If conservative treatments haven’t helped, your doctor may recommend surgery. This can range from decompression surgery in which pressure on the nerve is relieved by cutting nearby structures, to a complete removal of the nerve which may be necessary if all else fails.

To prevent Morton’s neuroma from happening in the first place, make sure that you always wear shoes that fit correctly, as well as wearing shoes that are appropriate for the activity you are doing. Always stretch your feet, and be sure that your legs are getting enough exercise. Warm up before engaging in any sort of physical activity. Preventative exercises can also be very helpful, making sure to keep each muscle group stretched and exercised. It is also just as important to rest after strenuous activity to prevent overuse injuries from happening.