Dr. Jiwu Chen

Dr. Jiwu Chen
Injuries & conditions

Morton's neuroma

Morton's neuroma

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In plain language

Thickening around a forefoot interdigital nerve, commonly between the third and fourth toes.

01

Clinical Significance & Management

A wider toe box and lower heel reduce forefoot and interdigital nerve pressure. A correctly positioned metatarsal pad may help. Persistent pain or numbness needs reassessment; footwear changes do not work for everyone.

02

Symptoms & Clinical Presentation

1

Burning forefoot pain, toe numbness or a pebble sensation

03

Etiology & Injury Mechanisms

  • Repeated forefoot pressure and nerve irritation
04

Diagnostics & Imaging Guide

Examination; imaging to assess alternatives when needed

05

Treatment Options

Option 1

Wide shoes and metatarsal pads; consider injection or surgery for persistent symptoms

06

Rehabilitation Milestones & Timeline

Rehabilitation depends on the diagnosis, procedure and associated injuries. Progression requires assessment of healing, symptoms and function; elapsed time or a single test cannot determine readiness for sport.

Progressive rehabilitation

Rebuild walking and running after reducing forefoot pressure

Red Flags & Urgent Warnings

Seek immediate emergency or specialist orthopaedic evaluation if any of the following occur:

Persistent sensory loss or a new mass needs review

07

Evidence-Based Clarifications

Despite the name, this usually is not a true tumor.

Sources & References

Educational clinical definitions synthesized from AAOS, Cleveland Clinic, Mayo Clinic, and HSS. Individual diagnosis and surgery require professional medical evaluation.

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