High Heel Shoes Is A Risk Factor For Morton's Neuroma, A Painful Nerve Disorder

Wearing high-heeled shoes can lead to a painful nerve disorder called Morton’s Neuroma. Women suffering from this disorder describe it as walking on razor blades. According to the researchers, the occurrence of the Morton’s Neuroma has doubled in past decade in the U.K., and researchers blame the increased use of high heels and ill-fitted footwear for the sharp increase in the number of sufferers.

Women have an eightfold higher risk of developing Morton’s Neuroma than men. Among the number of sufferers studied during the research, scientists found that a majority of sufferers were women between ages 40 and 69.

Between 2004-2005, nearly 1,179 women were hospitalized for treatment of the condition. However, the number increased to 2,532 between 2014-2015, an increase of 115%.

“Increasing awareness of Morton’s Neuroma can only be a good thing, not least because numbness in the foot could be a sign of other potentially life-altering conditions, such as diabetes," said lead researcher Andrew Craig from the Bradford Teaching Hospital’s NHS Foundation Trust.

Fibrous tissue surrounds the nerve in people who suffer from Morton’s Neuroma and they experience severe pain at the base of the toes and the balls of the foot. Treatment options include surgical removal of the affected nerve, steroid injection and wearing special soles.

Source-Medindia