The ball of the foot is the padded portion of the
sole between the
toes and the
arch
An arch is a curved vertical structure spanning an open space underneath it. Arches may support the load above them, or they may perform a purely decorative role. As a decorative element, the arch dates back to the 4th millennium BC, but stru ...
, underneath the heads of the
metatarsal bones
The metatarsal bones or metatarsus (: metatarsi) are a group of five long bones in the midfoot, located between the tarsal bones (which form the heel and the ankle) and the phalanges ( toes). Lacking individual names, the metatarsal bones are ...
.
In
comparative foot morphology, the ball is most analogous to the
metacarpal (forepaw) or
metatarsal (hindpaw) pad in many mammals with paws, and serves mostly the same functions.
The ball is a common area in which people develop pain, known as
metatarsalgia. People who frequently wear
high heels
High-heeled shoes, also known as high heels (colloquially shortened to heels), are a type of shoe with an upward-angled sole. The heel in such shoes is raised above the ball of the foot. High heels cause the legs to appear longer, make the we ...
often develop pain in the balls of their feet from the immense amount of pressure that is placed on them for long periods of time, due to the inclination of the shoes. To remedy this, there is a market for ball-of-foot or general foot
cushions that are placed into shoes to relieve some of the pressure. Alternately, people can have a procedure done in which a dermal filler is injected into the balls of the feet to add cushioning.
See also
*
Fat pad
*
Metatarsophalangeal joint
The metatarsophalangeal joints (MTP joints) are the joints between the metatarsal bones of the foot and the proximal bones (proximal phalanges) of the toes. They are analogous to the knuckles of the hand, and are consequently known as toe knuckles ...
*
Tactile pad
References
Foot
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