If you are having severe pain in your big toe when you try to bend it and if the ball of your foot is painful, red, and swollen, then you may have a condition called sesamoiditis. The sesamoid bones are two small, pea-sized bones in the ball of the foot that help you walk and move your foot. They are unusual because they are free-floating. The largest sesamoid bone in the body is the kneecap.

4 treatments for sesamoiditis include the following:

1. Decrease pressure on the affected foot with rest—Resting the affected foot will allow any swelling to go down and help the injured bones and tissues to heal.
2. Steroid medications—Steroid injections are great for relieving pain and inflammation but, they may need multiple applications and can have side effects, so discuss it with your foot doctor.
3. Wear properly fitted footwear—Properly fitted shoes that have a low heel cup, soft soles, and a square toe box will decrease pressure on the sesamoid bones so they can get better.
4. Custom orthotic shoe inserts—Specially made orthotic inserts can be optimally placed in your footwear to isolate the sesamoid bones and redirect and decrease any stress and pressure.

For sesamoiditis that doesn’t get better after trying these conservative treatments; surgery may be necessary.

If you are experiencing pain and discomfort from sesamoiditis, see your foot doctor for relief. At Your Next Step, our team of board-certified podiatrists has access to advanced technologies, along with years of experience, to help diagnose and treat a variety of foot and ankle problems, including sports injuries, joint pain, toe deformities, nail fungus, chronic tendon pain, and skin problems. Dr. Eric Ricefield, Dr. Mark Yagodich, and Dr. Aliza V. Eisen provide high-quality foot and ankle care to patients in the greater Philadelphia area at our offices conveniently located in Ardmore, Paoli, and Downingtown, PA. Please contact us for more information or to schedule an appointment.