Pain occurs while standing or walking and can range from mild to severe.
It may be worsened by wearing tight-fitting or high heeled shoe gear and may be relieved by removing the shoes and massaging the affected area. It is usually related to instability in the mechanical function of the foot. This instability results in the nerve being compressed against or pulled across a rigid, unyielding ligament called the transverse Intermetatarsal ligament. It is this repetitive microtrauma to the nerve that causes it to become inflamed and eventually entrapped in scar tissue. If allowed to persist over long periods of time, this process and its resulting symptoms may become irreversible causing considerable disability.