metatarsal help

[jitterbugbaby]

When someone says, "My feet hurt," there are lots of places on the foot that you probably think of. Heels, toes, arch, etc., but something you probably think less about is your metatarsal arch.

This is different than the main arch of your foot. It's the dent in the middle of the ball of your foot. And there are very few shoes that offer specific support for that arch. Theresia M makes some models, but they're in a bit of a corporate restructuring right now, and can be hard to come by.

Me, I walk in such a way that I put too much pressure on precisely that part of my foot. It's caused me much foot pain in the past, and eventually I went and got myself some custom made orthotics that have a little bump right under the metatarsal arch to give it extra support.

If you're looking for some extra support for your metatarsal arch (and honestly, most people can benefit from it), here are a couple ideas.

Look for shoes that have built-in metatarsal support. You'll be able to tell by feeling along the insole of the shoe (inside the body of the shoe). If there's a little bump in the insole right where the ball of your foot goes, that's a metatarsal support.

Since most shoes don't have that, though, you can get things like this:

This is a Metatarsal Gel Strap. It's basically a little sock-ette that slips over the ball of your foot and provides some gel cushioning and support just for your metatarsals. Certainly an affordable option for $34.95. There are also full-sole inserts you can buy that have metatarsal pads incorporated into them.

Because my last suggestion is getting yourself a pair of custom fit orthotics. Speaking from experience, these make walking around so much more comfortable, and it's really nice to feel like you're taking good care of your feet. But, that said, they do cost a pretty penny (several hundred bucks for a pair), and you might want to do this only if you're really having substantial foot problems.