Ask The Experts
My doctor says I have a tight Achilles tendon and the ball of my foot has very little padding, which is causing pain at the base of my toes. We have tried custom supports with little relief. Other options?
Thank you for contacting IPFH. We do not diagnose conditions or make treatment recommendations on line. The best thing to do in your case is to consult your doctor on the best approach(es) for handling your particular case. You don't say whether or not your doctor is a foot health professional, or whether he or she is a primary care practitioner. If the former, you should definitely ask him/her for alternative recommendations. If the latter, then he/she might refer you to a foot health professional for consultation. It is especially important that you get professional guidance and advice for dealing with your Achilles tendon. Tightness in that area is not uncommon, but because of the risk of doing damage to the tendon, it is important that you do any stretching or exercising under the supervision of a medical professional. As far as your forefoot pain is concerned, you might try wearing padded socks. These can help reduce pressure and pain in the area where the fat pads are thinning. You can learn more about other possible treatments at our article on foot pain and soreness, and you can learn more about fat pads in our article "Fat Pads: What You Need to Know." We hope this information is helpful, but, again, your best recourse is to consult your medical professional and solicit advice and recommendations from him or her. We hope your forefoot pain and Achilles tendon will soon be under control.