Best Shoes For Morton’s Neuroma

Written by: James McCormack – Foot and Ankle Specialist

Do you feel like you have a burning sensation in the ball of your foot, or does it feel like a pebble in your shoe? Poorly fitted shoes may be contributing to Morton’s Neuroma in your foot. In this article, we are going to explain the influence of shoes on Morton’s Neuroma and provide recommendations on the best shoes for Morton’s Neuroma.

Morton’s neuroma is a painful condition affecting the ball of the foot due to the compression and irritation of the nerves within the web spaces of your toes. Inflammation of these nerves can lead to pain and numbness in the toes when walking or during impact activity, and this is most commonly found between the 3rd and 4th metatarsals. However, it can occur in any of the web spaces of your feet.

Morton’s Neuroma can be caused by foot conditions such as Bunions, Hammertoes and flat feet. Still, the main external factors that contribute to the development and worsening of Morton’s Neuroma are shoes. High heels, unsupportive flat shoes and shoes with a narrow toe box can all contribute to Morton’s Neuroma symptoms, so having the correct shoes for Morton’s Neuroma is imperative. 

Related Article: Morton’s Neuroma Symptoms & Causes

Best Shoes For Morton’s Neuroma?

The best type of shoes for Morton’s Neuroma are a cushioned trainer with a low heel drop, cushioned sole and a wide-fitting toe box.

• A cushioned sole absorbs the impact and vibration that arises from the ground on impact to reduce irritation of the neuroma.
• A zero drop or stack height refers to the height difference from the back of the trainer to the front of the trainer. A low stack height is beneficial for Morton’s Neuroma as if there is a heel, then your centre of gravity moves towards the front of the foot when standing. Similar to wearing a high heel, excess pressure is then placed on the forefoot and this can irritate a neuroma.
• Finally, the width of the toe box is imperative. Everyone knows the length of their foot, but very few know their foot width. This can be measured using a standard measuring tape around the forefoot and is typically then graded size A to EEEE. If a toe box is too narrow, it will compress the forefoot and pinch the nerve, worsening the symptoms of Morton’s Neuroma. We normally recommend a heel drop of 5mm or less to our patients with Morton’s Neuroma.

James McCormack is a Physical Therapist who specializes in knee, foot & ankle injuries. www.james-mccormack.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. Earnings from this allow us to create free to read articles without affecting the price of products.

We have created a list of our recommended shoes for Morton’s Neuroma.

Physiotherapy with James McCormack

This is not medical advice. We recommend a consultation with a medical professional such as James McCormack. He offers Online Physiotherapy Appointments weekly.

Related Articles: 

Causes of Pain in the Ball of the Foot – Best Exercises for Morton’s Neuroma – Best Metatarsal Pads for Morton’s Neuroma