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 |  | With Health Insurance: Copay and 10%-50% Coinsurance |  | Without Health Insurance: $500-$25,000+ |
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Metatarsalgia is pain and inflammation in the ball of the foot, typically caused by an injury from overuse during high impact sports.
Typical costs: | - For patients covered by health insurance, the typical out-of-pocket cost for metatarsalgia treatment consists of doctor visit copays and coinsurance of 10%-50% for procedures. Metatarsalgia treatment typically is covered by health insurance.
- For patients not covered by health insurance, metatarsalgia treatment typically costs less than $500 for ice, rest, therapeutic shoes, a night splint and over-the-counter pads or shoe inserts. It can cost $800 or more for custom orthotics. Metatarsalgia typically can be treated conservatively; however, in rare cases, surgery might be required. Surgery can cost $7,000-$25,000 or more, depending on the type required. In some cases, metatarsalgia can be a symptom of an underlying condition, such as Morton's neuroma, which might require surgery.
- For example, MyFootShop.com charges $3-$18 for metatarsal pads, inserts and bandages[1] . FootSmart.com charges about $7-$37 for metatarsal pads[2] and $13-$50 for over-the-counter shoe insoles[3] . PodiatryNetwork.com charges about $50 for a night splint[4] . FootSmart.com charges about $30-$135 for therapeutic sandals or shoes[5] , and DrewShoe.com charges about $100-$315 for shoes suitable for metatarsalgia[6] .
- Custom orthotics can cost from $200-$800 or more.
- Surgery for Morton's neuroma can cost $7,000 or more. Saint Elizabeth Regional Medical Center, in Nebraska, charges about $9,000-$13,000, not including doctor fee, for surgery on a metatarsal bone[7] . Baptist Memorial Health Care[8] , in Memphis, charges an average of about $22,200 for orthopedic surgery on the feet, without complications, not including doctor fee, which can add several thousand dollars to the final bill.
Related articles: X-Ray, Foot Orthotics, Morton's Neuroma Treatment, Crutches, Physical Therapy
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What should be included: | - A doctor might order an X-ray or MRI to check for underlying conditions, such as Morton's neuroma, that could be causing the symptoms.
- The doctor typically will recommend ice, rest and a pressure bandage for the first day or two after the injury.
- The doctor also might prescribe therapeutic shoes, inserts, metatarsal pads, or other orthotics and gentle stretching exercises.
- In rare cases, when other treatments have failed, the patient might require surgery. The type of surgery could vary, depending on the cause of the problem. For example, a patient with Morton's neuroma might require surgery to remove the inflamed nerve. Or, a patient with pain caused by the position of the metatarsal bones might need surgical realignment of the bones.
- WebMD has an overview of metatarsalgia[9] and PodiatryNetwork.com has overview[10] of metatarsal bone realignment surgery, an orthopedic surgery that requires moving a bone and holding it in place with hardware. This typically is an outpatient procedure that requires IV sedation or general anesthesia.
Additional costs: | - If surgery is required, crutches might be needed during recovery at a cost of about $15-$100.
- Physical therapy, which typically costs $50-$350 per session, might be required.
Discounts: | - Some websites that sell over-the-counter orthotics or pads offer discounts. For example, FootSmart.com offers discounts[11] such as free shipping or $15 off plus free shipping on orders of $150 or more.
- Many hospitals and doctors give discounts of up to 30% or more to uninsured/cash-paying patients. For example, Washington Hospital Healthcare System[12] in California offers a 35% discount.
Shopping for metatarsalgia treatment: | - A sports medicine doctor or podiatrist would treat metatarsalgia. Or, if surgery is required, a podiatric surgeon or orthopedic surgeon typically would perform the procedure.
- The American Podiatric Medical Association offers a podiatrist locator[13] . It is important to make sure the podiatrist is board certified by the American Board of Podiatric Medicine or the American Board of Podiatric Surgery[14] , depending on their area of specialty. The American Orthopaedic Foot & Ankle Society offers a locator for orthopedic surgeons[15] who specialize in conditions of the foot and ankle.
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Material on this page is for informational purposes only and should not be construed as medical advice. Always consult your physician or pharmacist regarding medications or medical procedures.
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External Resources: | - www.myfootshop.com/SearchResults_simple.asp?p=1&Method=SubCategory&Value=Metatarsa...
- www.footsmart.com/metatarsal-s.aspx?NavCmd=Ntk%3aAll%7cmetatarsal%7c3%7c%2cN%3a429...
- www.footsmart.com/metatarsal-s.aspx?NavCmd=Ntk%3aAll%7cmetatarsal%7c3%7c%2cN%3a429...
- www.podiatrynetwork.com/product/featured_products.cfm
- www.footsmart.com/metatarsal-s.aspx?NavCmd=Ntk%3aAll%7cmetatarsal%7c3%7c%2cN%3a429...
- www.drewshoe.com/metatarsalgia.aspx
- www.saintelizabethonline.com/price-estimator-1.html
- bolapps.bmhcc.org/estimator/
- www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/metatarsalgia
- www.podiatrynetwork.com/document_disorders.cfm?id=214
- www.footsmart.com/MarketingPage.aspx?pageId=36
- www.whhs.com/about/washington-hospital-discount-policy-for-uninsured/
- www.apma.org/Directory/FindAPodiatrist.cfm
- www.abps.org/content/resources/FindADoctor.aspx
- mmax.aofas.org/scripts/4disapi.dll/4DCGI/directory/person.html?Action=AOFAS&AOFAS_...
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