Welcome to Momentum Health's patient resource about Interdigital Neuroma (Morton's Neuroma).
Interdigital neuroma (sometimes called a Morton's neuroma) is the medical term for a painful growth in the forefoot. The pain is most commonly felt between the third and fourth toes but can also occur in the area between the second and third toes. The exact cause of this problem is not clear. Some studies suggest that it is due to swelling, scarring, or a noncancerous tumor in one of the small nerves of the foot. The symptoms seem to be caused by irritation of the nerve that runs in the space between each toe.
This article will help you understand:
what is known about the condition
how the condition causes problems
what can be done for your pain
Hear from some of our Foot Therapy patients
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Sprained my ankle while playing soccer. Got the best treatment from the best physios Mark Taylor and Sofia. They were patient enough to answer all my dumb questions. Also want to mention about the... ”
“ Sprained my ankle while playing soccer. Got the best treatment from the best physios Mark Taylor and Sofia. They were patient enough to answer all my dumb questions. Also want to mention about the lady at the front desk who was really kind. Overall, received the treatment that I was looking for and people are amazing! Highly recommend, would give 6/5 stars. ”
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My wife and I are very selective customers of about everything. If we spend money in today's world, we should get a top and customer-oriented service. The same goes for accessing physiotherapy and... ”
“ My wife and I are very selective customers of about everything. If we spend money in today's world, we should get a top and customer-oriented service. The same goes for accessing physiotherapy and other rehabilitation services after a trauma or a motor vehicle accident. I had never experienced good at other physiotherapists' clinics before. Most clinics are more interested in your insurance money than their patients' complete recovery. I can be biased, but it is my personal opinion. I was very apprehensive in my search for a professional physiotherapy center. I Google-searched for nearly two days and read lots of reviews. I narrowed my search and selected Momentum Health at Deerfoot and 64th Avenue, NE. I can say my hrs. long search was not in vain. The treatment is top-notch and very professional in medical and customer services. I highly recommend this clinic for any massage, physiotherapy, or related service. My physiotherapist, Mark Taylor, Kinesiologist, Safia, and massagist, Meagan, are professional and sincere healthcare professionals. They go beyond and above to help you with your problem. They listen to you and then advise accordingly. I highly recommend this clinic and those individuals I dealt with. It is worth your money, time, and energy to give them a chance and try their positive, effective, and professional service. I will go back to them for sure again if another occasion arises. ”
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I recently saw Joel for an ankle injury. He was professional, empathetic and really helped me understand my limits. I really felt comfortable with his IMS techniques and I felt a lot of relief... ”
“ I recently saw Joel for an ankle injury. He was professional, empathetic and really helped me understand my limits. I really felt comfortable with his IMS techniques and I felt a lot of relief following! One could say he has ‘magic hands’. 5/5 service! ”
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Just had an amazing deep tissue massage from Christina. Walked in with major foot pain. Told her exactly where it hurt. She messaged the area and listened to me if it hurt too much. She then worked on... ”
“ Just had an amazing deep tissue massage from Christina. Walked in with major foot pain. Told her exactly where it hurt. She messaged the area and listened to me if it hurt too much. She then worked on areas she thought would help my foot and it worked. I got up from the table and could walk without pain. The deep tissue massage was perfect. She kept asking if the pressure was good or too much and acted accordingly to my answer. There’s a reason she books so far out. She’s that good. Extremely happy to have found Christina. I would highly recommend her to anyone ”
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Rebecca and Karissa have helped me immensely in recovery from a ruptured achilles tendon. Their guidance and program has helped me heal and strengthen the injury. Top notch quality and care from the... ”
“ Rebecca and Karissa have helped me immensely in recovery from a ruptured achilles tendon. Their guidance and program has helped me heal and strengthen the injury. Top notch quality and care from the best people. Thanks for everything! ”
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I have been a client of Brad Fugimoto for several years and when I developed a sore heel (plantar fasciitis ), I asked him about it. He found that my calf muscle was very tight and said if I could... ”
“ I have been a client of Brad Fugimoto for several years and when I developed a sore heel (plantar fasciitis ), I asked him about it. He found that my calf muscle was very tight and said if I could tolerate deep massage of it, the heel pain would likely resolve. However I didn't think I could tolerate it so decided to try other practitioners, including seeing a podiatrist for new orthotics, another chiropractor for Cold Laser, a Physiotherapist for Ultrasound and Acupuncture , plus doing many prescribed exercises. The pain persisted. So I saw my Homeopath/RN for her opinion. She diagnosed it as a muscle/fascia problem of the lower leg which caused the inflammation in the plantar fascia (heel). Bingo! She recommended a technique called Myofascial Release. This is the same as what Brad had described 3 months ago. So back to Brad I went and after one treatment (which was painful), the heel pain is relieved about 50% and hopefully a few more treatments will bring it back to normal. I very much recommend Brad Fugimoto for his expertise, professionalism and his intuitive ability. ”
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Mark, our physiotherapist was absolutely amazing!! My son sprained his ankle playing sports and months later it was still bothering him to the point he couldn’t play for his competitive soccer team... ”
“ Mark, our physiotherapist was absolutely amazing!! My son sprained his ankle playing sports and months later it was still bothering him to the point he couldn’t play for his competitive soccer team anymore. Mark spent time with him on a weekly basis for a few weeks and drew up a plan for him to also work on his ankle at home and now he is 100% pain free!! Mark made my shy son feel comfortable during his visits and helped him so much! Even on our last visit, my son had strained his neck sleeping awkwardly one night and one visit with Mark fixed him right up! I highly recommend Momentum Health Deerfoot! Thanks so much to Mark and the very friendly reception staff who always made our visits enjoyable! ”
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Good morning i have been having nerve problems and numbness in my left leg hip and ankle, since i have been coming there i have been treated with respect and kindness for my problem, i feel very... ”
“ Good morning i have been having nerve problems and numbness in my left leg hip and ankle, since i have been coming there i have been treated with respect and kindness for my problem, i feel very confident that the team there will help me to get better if possible. Russ is awesum he has done things that no other physio place has tried i believe he accutually cares about my injury and healing process. Hats off to all of you i would recommend treatment here for anyone who has issues with your body. ”
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I have been working with Mark Taylor to help remidy my ankle tendonitis for a couple months now, already seeing massive improvements and very little pain anymore. Would recommend. ”
“ I have been working with Mark Taylor to help remidy my ankle tendonitis for a couple months now, already seeing massive improvements and very little pain anymore. Would recommend. ”
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I've been coming here for a few months. My foot got crushed in forklift incident at the company I was working for and I've been having to learn how to walk on the for again. So far my experience has... ”
“ I've been coming here for a few months. My foot got crushed in forklift incident at the company I was working for and I've been having to learn how to walk on the for again. So far my experience has been positive with Mark being easy to talk to and not overbearing or aggressive. The current negative is that finding the location is hard due to the set up of the mall, but that is the fault of the overseers Shape Properties not knowing how to do competent address designation. ”
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I had an inflamed Achilles’ tendon after rolling my ankle during a winter run. I could barely walk. Amy diagnosed the problem and gave me treatment and exercises that set me right. She focused on... ”
“ I had an inflamed Achilles’ tendon after rolling my ankle during a winter run. I could barely walk. Amy diagnosed the problem and gave me treatment and exercises that set me right. She focused on strengthening my ankle so the problem would not re-occur and stretching to address muscle tightness. The team at Momentum West Springs is my first choice whenever I have an injury. I trust them to get me back fast. Thanks Amy and Nicole! ”
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My first trip to Momentum Health Ogden today had me meeting with Meghan Murphy for physio for my Achilles Tendonitis. She was thorough, knowledgeable and thoughtful of my pain tolerance. I’m... ”
“ My first trip to Momentum Health Ogden today had me meeting with Meghan Murphy for physio for my Achilles Tendonitis. She was thorough, knowledgeable and thoughtful of my pain tolerance. I’m confident in the regimen she’s laid out for my recovery and highly recommend her to help you work through any injuries you may have! ”
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Kaylie and Rachel were absolutely phenomenal in getting me back to life and mobile. I came in with a serious ankle sprain and developed a secondary sprain on my other ankle, too. They worked... ”
“ Kaylie and Rachel were absolutely phenomenal in getting me back to life and mobile. I came in with a serious ankle sprain and developed a secondary sprain on my other ankle, too. They worked diligently with me to make sure I was progressing in my healing process and are both extremely friendly. I would highly recommend Momentum Health and Rachel and Kaylie if you are in need of physiotherapy treatment! ”
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Kaylie and Rachel were an amazing team helping to heal my foot. They were super knowledgeable about the body and friendly to chat with during each session. Thanks so much for the help!!! ”
“ Kaylie and Rachel were an amazing team helping to heal my foot. They were super knowledgeable about the body and friendly to chat with during each session. Thanks so much for the help!!! ”
The nerves of the foot run into the forefoot and out to the toes between the long metatarsal bones of the feet. Each nerve splits at the end of the metatarsal bone and continues out to the end of the toe. Each nerve ending supplies feeling to two different toes. The interdigital neuroma occurs in the nerve just before it divides into the two branches, the area under the ball of the foot. A neuroma is formed by the swelling or thickening in this part of the nerve.
It is not entirely understood why an interdigital neuroma forms. Most likely, it results from repeated injury to the nerve in this area. Many theories have been put forth as to the cause of the chronic injury, but none has been proven.
The most common cause of pain is thought to be irritation on the nerve. The chronic nerve irritation is believed to cause the nerve to scar and thicken, creating the neuroma. Many foot surgeons feel that the problem may arise because the metatarsal bones squeeze in on the nerve, and the ligament that joins the two bones irritates, or entraps, the nerve. Entrapment of the nerve is thought to lead to the chronic irritation and pain.
Cause of Pain
Symptoms
What does an interdigital neuroma feel like?
The neuroma usually causes pain in the ball of the foot when weight is placed on the foot. Many people with this condition report feeling a painful catching sensation while walking, and many report sharp pains that radiate out to the two toes where the nerve ends. You may feel swelling between the toes or a sensation similar to having a rock in your shoe. This can feel like electric shocks, similar to hitting the funny bone on your elbow.
Diagnosis
How will my health care provider know it's an interdigital neuroma?
When you first visit Momentum Health, our physiotherapist will examine your foot and speak with you about the history of your problem. Diagnosis of interdigital neuroma is generally made during the history and physical examination.
Some patients may be referred to a doctor for further diagnosis. Once your diagnostic examination is complete, the physiotherapists at Momentum Health have treatment options that will help speed your recovery, so that you can more quickly return to your active lifestyle.
Our Treatment
Non-surgical Rehabilitation
When you begin physiotherapy at Momentum Health, our treatment of an interdigital neuroma usually begins with our physiotherapist evaluating your shoes and recommending changes in your foot wear. Our physiotherapist may suggest firm-soled shoes that have a wide forefoot, or toe box. The added space in this part of the shoe keeps the metatarsals from getting squeezed inside the shoe. We may also place a special metatarsal pad within your shoe under the ball of your foot. The pad is designed to spread the metatarsals apart and take pressure off the neuroma.
These simple changes to your footwear may allow you to resume normal walking immediately. But we recommend that you cut back on more vigorous activities for several weeks to allow the inflammation and pain to subside.
In addition to changing the shoes that you wear, our physiotherapist will also apply direct treatments to the painful area to help control pain and swelling. Examples include ultrasound, moist heat, and soft-tissue massage. Our therapy sessions sometimes include iontophoresis, which uses a mild electrical current to push anti-inflammatory medicine, prescribed by your doctor, into the sore area. This treatment is especially helpful for patients who can't tolerate injections.
Post-surgical Rehabilitation
You may require crutches for a few days after surgery, and our physiotherapist can halp you learn to properly move about without further injuring your foot. Your foot will remain tender for several days. The incision will be protected with a bandage or dressing for about one week after surgery. The stitches are generally removed in 10 to 14 days. However, if your surgeon chose to use sutures that dissolve, you won't need to have the stitches taken out.
When you visit Momentum Health after your surgery, our physiotherapist will develop a personalized rehabilitation program to help speed our recovery. When your recovery is well under way, regular visits to Momentum Health will end. Although we will continue to be a resource, you will eventually be in charge of doing therapeutic exercises as part of an ongoing home program.
Momentum Health provides services for physiotherapy in Calgary.
Surgery
If these nonsurgical measures fail to resolve the pain, surgery may be suggested. There are several different approaches to treating the neuroma surgically.
Neuroma Removal
The more traditional procedure involves removing the neuroma. Since the neuroma is part of the nerve, the nerve is removed, or transected, as well. This results in permanent numbness in the area supplied by the nerve.
To remove a neuroma surgically, a small incision is made in the skin between the two toes that are affected by the neuroma. The neuroma is located and removed by cutting the nerve. The skin incision is repaired with stitches and a dressing applied.
Ligament Release
Many foot surgeons believe that removing the nerve as the initial surgery may be too radical. These surgeons suggest that a simple operation to release the ligament between the metatarsal bones will reduce the squeezing action by the metatarsals and remove the irritation on the nerve by the ligament. If this surgery fails, the more traditional approach to removing the nerve can be done later. One of the benefits to this procedure is that you are not left with any numbness in the toes.
These surgical procedures can be done either under general anesthesia, where you are put to sleep, or with a type of regional anesthesia. Regional anesthesia means that the nerves of the foot are blocked by injecting a local anesthetic, similar to lidocaine, into the area around the nerves leading to the foot. Only the foot goes to sleep. The surgery is most commonly done as an outpatient procedure, meaning you can go home the same day.
