Morton’s neuroma: understanding this sharp pain in the foot

Have you ever had that strange sensation of stepping on a tiny, invisible pebble, even though your shoes are completely empty? If so, your feet might be trying to tell you something. Behind this seemingly harmless discomfort lies a very common—especially among women—but still little-known condition: Morton’s neuroma. And rest assured, there are simple solutions to remedy it without necessarily resorting to surgery.
What exactly is Morton’s neuroma?

Behind this somewhat technical name lies an irritation of the nerve located between two toes, most often between the third and fourth. In practical terms, the tissues around the nerve thicken, causing localized pain under the ball of the foot. As a result, each step becomes a minor ordeal, as if you had a sock on incorrectly or a pebble stuck under your forefoot.
This benign condition primarily affects women, especially those who spend their days perched on high heels or in narrow shoes. This is hardly surprising: the repeated pressure on the ball of the foot eventually irritates the plantar nerve.