Pain in the ball of the foot

Check if you have pain in the ball of the foot

• Burning, aching or sharp pain under the toes
• A feeling like walking on a pebble
• Pain that gets worse when you stand, walk or run, and better with rest

Things you can do yourself

Do

• Rest and raise your foot when you can
• Wear wide shoes with a low heel and a cushioned sole
• Use soft insoles or pads under the ball of the foot
• Hold an ice pack wrapped in a towel on the area for up to 20 minutes

Don’t

• Wear high heels or tight, pointed shoes
• Walk barefoot on hard surfaces

Non-urgent advice: See a podiatrist if:

• the pain hasn’t improved after 2 weeks
• you have hard skin or corns under the ball of the foot
• the pain is affecting your daily life

Urgent advice: Ask for an urgent GP appointment or get help from NHS 111 if:

• the pain is severe after an injury or the foot looks misshapen
• the area is red, hot and swollen

You can call 111 or get help online at 111.nhs.uk. In an emergency, call 999.

How we can help

We remove any hard skin or corns adding to the pressure, and recommend padding, insoles and footwear to spread the load across the foot.

Foot conditions

Related conditions

• Heel pain Pain under the heel, often worst with the first steps in the morning.
• Flat feet Low or fallen arches, which only need treatment if they cause pain.
• Bunions A bony lump at the side of the big toe joint that can rub and ache.