Sesamoid Injury & Sesamoiditis Treatment
Pain beneath the big toe joint can make walking, running, or pushing off the front of your foot uncomfortable. In some cases, the source is one of the small sesamoid bones located beneath the big toe joint.
At Brazos Foot & Ankle, we evaluate pain in the ball of the foot to determine whether a sesamoid injury or another condition is responsible.
What Are the Sesamoid Bones?
Unlike most bones, which connect to other bones at joints, the sesamoids are small bones embedded within tendons beneath the big toe joint.
They help the big toe function during movement and experience considerable pressure when you walk, run, jump, or rise onto the front of your foot.
Problems can include inflammation around the sesamoids, known as sesamoiditis, as well as stress injuries or fractures.
Symptoms of a Sesamoid Injury
Symptoms may include:
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Pain beneath the big toe joint
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Tenderness in the ball of the foot
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Swelling or bruising
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Pain while pushing off
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Discomfort when bending the big toe
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Pain during running, jumping, or similar activities
Sesamoiditis often develops gradually, while a fracture may follow trauma or repetitive stress.
Who Is at Risk?
Activities that repeatedly load the forefoot can increase stress on the sesamoids.
Runners, dancers, athletes, and people whose work requires frequent pressure on the front of the foot may experience these injuries. Foot structure and footwear may also influence pressure in the area.
Treatment for Sesamoid Pain
Because the sesamoids experience pressure with nearly every step, reducing stress on the injured area is often an important part of treatment.
Depending on your diagnosis, treatment may involve activity modification, padding or offloading, footwear changes, immobilization, orthotics, medications, or other approaches.
A fracture or persistent injury may require additional treatment.
When Should You Seek Care?
Pain under the big toe that persists or becomes worse with activity should be evaluated, particularly if swelling, bruising, or difficulty walking is present.
Take Pressure Off a Painful Forefoot
A tiny bone can cause a surprisingly large amount of discomfort.
At Brazos Foot & Ankle, we'll evaluate your forefoot pain and develop a treatment plan based on the specific injury.
Schedule an appointment today for sesamoid or ball-of-foot pain.
