How to Treat Foot Pain with a Stick-On MET Pad

Learn how to make a stick-on MET pad to help treat foot pain, specifically metatarsalgia (pain between the base of the toes).

Metatarsalgia is a common cause of foot pain. Often the transverse metatarsal arch is dropped and the tarsals are splayed. This exposes some sensitive stuff under the foot such as the intertarsal nerves (as in Morton’s neuroma) and the intertarsal bursae.

Although a metatarsal pad isn’t a permanent fix, it can provide necessary offloading to permit inflamed tissues to heal. 

It also provides several other advantages. Because it is stuck to the patient’s foot, when they switch shoes it goes with them  Also, if you plan on making orthotics then this is a great way to check to see if a met pad should be added. If pain is reduced with the stick-on met pad, then add it to the orthotic!

WHAT YOU WILL NEED:

• Dr. Scholl's Molefoam Padding Men and Women 2-Count (3-Pack)
• A pen
• Paper
• A scissors 

PAD PLACEMENT:  Attach the met pad posterior to the base of the metatarsals, medial to the 1st MET, and lateral to the 5th MET. You are aiming to support METs 2-4 and recover a bit of the transverse arch.

This will lift sensitive structures away from the ground, restore some shock absorption, and re-distribute pressure away from the metatarsal bases at the site of pain.