If you get a burning or tingling pain between your toes — usually the third and fourth — along with numbness or a feeling like there’s a pebble in your shoe, you may have Morton’s neuroma. It’s an irritated nerve in the ball of the foot, and giving that nerve room is exactly what the right footwear and insoles set out to do.
What Morton’s neuroma is
A nerve runs between the long bones of the foot towards the toes. With Morton’s neuroma, the tissue around one of these nerves — most often between the third and fourth toes — thickens and becomes irritated. When the metatarsal heads are pressed together, they pinch the nerve, which sets off the burning, tingling pain. It isn’t a true tumour, despite the name; it’s a trapped, inflamed nerve.
Signs & symptoms
- Burning or sharp, electric pain between the toes, usually the third and fourth
- Tingling or numbness spreading into the toes
- A feeling like there’s a pebble, fold or lump under the ball of the foot
- Pain that flares in tight or high-heeled shoes and settles when you take them off
- Relief when you stop and massage the forefoot
Why it happens
Anything that squeezes the front of the foot or overloads it can irritate the nerve. Tight, pointed and high-heeled shoes are the classic culprits — they jam the metatarsal heads together. High arches, flat feet, bunions and lots of time on the balls of your feet add to the pressure. Over time, the repeated pinching thickens the tissue around the nerve and the symptoms set in.
How the right insoles & footwear help
The goal is to open up space for the nerve and stop the squeeze. Custom orthopaedic insoles and well-chosen footwear do this together:
- Metatarsal pad — placed just behind the metatarsal heads, it lifts and separates the bones so they stop pinching the nerve.
- Wide toe box — roomy footwear lets the forefoot spread instead of being crushed inward.
- Cushioning & offloading — softening and redistributing pressure under the ball takes load off the irritated spot.
- Arch support — keeping the foot aligned stops it collapsing forward onto the forefoot.
The aim is relief and support — easing the pressure so the nerve can calm down — not a medical cure. Pairing your insoles with our orthopaedic footwear, which is built around a generous toe box, makes a real difference.
Our fitting process
We start by pinpointing where the pressure peaks across your forefoot and how your feet load the ground.
In Pune? Your first fitting is free at our Budhwar Peth shop, where we assess and fit you hands-on.
Anywhere else in India? Our online fitting (₹499, fully credited to your insole order) assesses your feet over video and from a few photos, then we post your custom insoles to your door.
Related conditions
Neuroma pain often overlaps with general forefoot pain. If the whole ball of your foot aches rather than just between the toes, read about metatarsalgia; if your big-toe joint is involved, see bunions.
When to see a doctor
We’re a specialist footwear shop, not a medical clinic. If the burning, numbness or pain is severe, persistent or getting worse, please see a doctor for a proper diagnosis — nerve symptoms can have other causes. Our role is to support and offload your feet alongside any medical care you receive.
Frequently asked questions
What does Morton’s neuroma feel like?
Most people describe a burning or electric pain between the third and fourth toes, often with tingling or numbness, and a sense of a fold in the sock or a pebble underfoot. It typically eases when you take your shoe off and rub the foot, because that briefly relieves the pressure on the nerve.
Can insoles and footwear help Morton’s neuroma?
For many people they ease it a great deal. A metatarsal pad spreads the long bones of the foot apart so they stop pinching the nerve, while a wide toe box and cushioning reduce the squeeze. They support and offload the foot rather than treating the nerve medically, so persistent cases should also see a doctor.
Which shoes should I avoid?
Tight, pointed and high-heeled shoes are the main aggravators — they press the metatarsal heads together and crush the nerve. Swap them for a wide toe box, a low heel and a soft, roomy upper. Our orthopaedic footwear is shaped to give the forefoot room.
Where exactly does the metatarsal pad sit for a neuroma?
Just behind the metatarsal heads, so it lifts and separates the bones and opens up the space the nerve runs through. Placement is precise and varies from foot to foot, so we position it on your custom insole during the fitting and adjust at follow-up.
Do I need to visit Pune to get fitted?
No. If you are in Pune your first fitting is free at our Budhwar Peth shop. Anywhere else in India, our online fitting (₹499, fully credited to your insole order) assesses your feet over video and we post your custom insoles to your door.