If you have ball of foot pain, then the last thing you want to do is park far away from the entrance of any store. You’ll feel justified sitting in your car waiting for someone – anyone – to give you their best parking space. You most likely have even tried sneaking into a handicapped parking spot once or twice to avoid that pain found in your every step.
The ball of your foot plays an important role in walking. First, your heel touches the ground, followed by your mid-foot and the ball of foot area. Lastly, your toes will reach the ground. For those of you who wear high heels or other high-arch shoes, you should understand the importance of taking care of and having the correct support for the ball of your foot. When wearing shoes such as high heels, you’ll notice that the ball of your foot can feel as if it’s being “smashed” into the ground with all of your body weight pressing down on top of it.
When this happens, the toes are forced to spread apart more than a normal amount. The delicate nerves in between the toes can become exposed, feeling as if they are being trampled, and they will cry out in pain. They’re pleading you to stop, stop, stop this abuse!
When you have ball of foot pain, there are a few different brands of cushions that you purchase to alleviate some of the pain. Here are the top four from TheInsoleStore.com:
- 1. Sof Sole Ball of Foot Cushions
- 2. Spenco Gel Ball of Foot Cushions
- 3. Powerstep Metatarsal Cushion Pads
- 4. Spenco RX Ball of Foot Cushions
These ball of foot cushions are made from a material called Poron. This is a superb cushioning material. You can attach it to the insoles of your shoes with the adhesive backing.
This Spenco brand foot cushion is also American Podiatric Medical Association recommended. They are perfect for those who suffer from Morton’s Neuroma, or any other pain in the ball of foot, because they can be sized for better fit. The sizing ranges from small-medium-large. Women who are typically a shoe size of 8 or smaller will need the small. The shoe size 8-10 generally will fit into a medium, and anything larger than a size 10 will fit into the large. Likewise, men wearing a shoe size of 9-11 would choose the medium sized Spenco RX Ball of Foot Cushions. Smaller than a size 9 would select small; larger than a size 11 would select Large.