Morton's neuroma treatment in Dublin
Morton's neuroma is an irritated, thickened nerve between two of your toes, most often the third and fourth. It causes burning, tingling or sharp pain in the ball of the foot, and it's usually brought on by the forefoot being squeezed and overloaded. At Foot Focus in Finglas and Mount Merrion, our CORU-registered podiatrists find out why yours is irritated and treat the cause, so the pain settles and is less likely to come back.

Does this sound like you?
- Burning, tingling or sharp pain in the ball of your foot, often between the third and fourth toes
- It feels like there's a pebble or a fold in your sock under your foot
- Numbness or pins and needles running into your toes
- It's worse in tight, narrow or high-heeled shoes, and better when you take them off
- You find yourself rubbing your foot or taking your shoe off to get relief
- You've changed shoes or tried insoles, and it keeps coming back

Rated 4.9 on Google · 397 reviews
What causes it
Between the long bones of your forefoot, small nerves run out to your toes. When the forefoot is squeezed and loaded again and again, the tissue around one of those nerves thickens and becomes irritated. That's the neuroma.
Narrow or tight shoes and heels squeeze the bones together. Long days on your feet, running and jumping add pressure. And the way your foot moves, a stiff ankle or tight calves can push more of your weight onto the front of the foot.
Other problems in the forefoot can feel very similar, so we check exactly what's causing your pain before deciding how to treat it.
Load goes up
- More running or walking
- A new job on your feet
- Harder floors
- Worn-out shoes
- Weight gain
Capacity comes down
- Weak foot or lower leg muscles
- Tight calves
- A stiff ankle
- How your foot moves when you walk
- Changes in the structure of your foot
- Some medical conditions
- Stress
- Poor sleep
- Age
Why Dublin patients choose Foot Focus
- All our podiatrists are CORU-registered and members of the Society of Chiropodists and Podiatrists of Ireland
- Founded by brothers Stephen and Mark Ryan, first-class honours podiatry graduates practising since 2011, and open as Foot Focus since 2016
- Rated 4.9 out of 5 from 397 Google reviews
- More than 100,000 appointments in our Dublin clinics, and over 1,500 most months
- Dublin's largest podiatry team in private practice
- Two clinics: Finglas (Dublin 11), for Glasnevin, Santry, Cabra and Blanchardstown, and Mount Merrion, close to Stillorgan, Blackrock and Sandyford
- No GP referral needed: book directly online or by phone
- Open Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm, at both clinics
The Foot Focus method for Morton's neuroma
We don't chase symptoms. We find the cause and treat it.
Most Morton's neuroma treatment is aimed at pain relief. Wider shoes, padding and rest can settle things for a while. But the nerve usually gets irritated because the forefoot is being squeezed and overloaded, and if the reasons for that aren't fixed, the pain tends to come back.
It starts with an assessment


Your history
When it started, what sets it off and what you've already tried.

Muscle and joint testing
We check how well your foot and ankle move, and take baseline strength measurements to see where your foot isn't supporting you as it should.


Biomechanical assessment with Footscan®
If your pain has been there for more than six weeks, we also carry out a biomechanical assessment. You walk across our pressure plate. It records thousands of data points showing how force travels through your foot. Where force builds up over an area that tested weak is usually where the pain is coming from.
Put together, these tell us why you have pain and what it will take to get you back to the things you enjoy doing.
The Foot Focus 4 Steps to Recovery
Step 1: Settle the pain
Once we know the cause, the first job is to calm things down so rehab can start. We use padding and strapping to take load off the sore area, neuromodulation therapy to target the nerve component of the pain, and footwear advice. These help, but they aren't the fix. They buy the window for the real work.

Step 2: Build strength, mobility and flexibility
Your rehab programme is built around your assessment results, your activity level and your goal, so no two are the same. The exercises are progressive. We start at a level your foot can manage and step them up as you get stronger.

Step 3: Return to normal activity
With the pain down and your strength up, we bring you back to your activity gradually and stay with you while you do it. There can be good weeks and bad weeks. What matters is that the overall trend is heading the right way.

Step 4: Stay strong and prevent re-injury
You finish with the knowledge and the exercises to keep your foot strong on your own, which lowers the chance of the problem coming back.

Start with an assessment
Frequently asked questions
Can Morton's neuroma be cured, or does it always come back?
Yes, it can. How quickly depends on how long you've had it and what recovery looks like to you, whether that's wearing your normal shoes again or getting back to running. We agree on a goal with you at the start and build your rehab around it. Morton's neuroma comes back when the forefoot is squeezed and overloaded again without the strength it needs for what you're asking of it. So you finish with a simple exercise routine and the know-how to keep your foot strong, long after you've stopped coming to see us.
How long does Morton's neuroma take to heal?
Most patients feel some relief in the first two or three sessions. That's step one of our method, and it's what lets us get on with the real work of strengthening the foot. Full recovery depends on three things: how long you've had the pain, how strong and mobile your foot is now, and what you're aiming to get back to. If it started a few weeks ago and your goal is to walk around the block without pain, that's usually a matter of weeks. If you've had it for months, can barely walk, and want to run a 10K, expect a few months of steady work. After your assessment we'll give you an honest estimate for your case.
Can you fix Morton's neuroma in a week?
Honestly, no. If you've had it for more than a month, it's very unlikely to be gone in a week, whatever a video or an insole advert promises. Anything that's been building for months has usually left the foot weaker than it should be, and strength doesn't come back in seven days. If it only started in the last few days, it's a different story, and getting it looked at early is the quickest route back. Either way, a week is enough to get the pain settling and a plan in place.
Do the exercises and stretches on YouTube work?
Some of them, for some people. Exercises are the core of how Morton's neuroma gets better, but only if they're the right ones for what's causing yours. A generic toe stretch or massage ball routine might be exactly what one person needs and a waste of time for the next. That's why we assess first: to find the cause, measure where your foot is starting from, and then give you exercises that match. If you've been doing the online ones for a few weeks and nothing's shifted, that's usually the sign they're not the ones you need.
Do I need insoles or orthotics?
Not necessarily. An orthotic doesn't fix anything on its own. It moves pressure from one part of your foot to another, so it only helps if the part taking the new load is strong enough to cope. That's why we work on making your foot as strong and mobile as possible first, and add orthotics only if the assessment shows you need them. When they are the right call, ours are 3D-printed from your own pressure scan rather than picked off a shelf. If you've already bought insoles in a shop, bring them to your assessment.
Is a Morton's neuroma a tumour?
No. Despite the name, it isn't a tumour or a growth. It's a thickening around a nerve between the toes that gets irritated when it's squeezed and loaded. That's why tight or narrow shoes and long days on your feet make it worse, and why taking pressure off the area and improving how your forefoot handles load are the first things we work on.
Can I keep walking or running with Morton's neuroma?
In most cases, yes. Stopping altogether tends to leave the foot weaker, which is the opposite of what you want. What we do is bring the load down to a level your foot can handle: shorter distances, strapping to support the sore area, maybe a change of footwear, and Class 4 laser to take the edge off the pain. Then we build the distance back up as you get stronger. How much you can safely do depends on your assessment, so book that first if you're in pain now and unsure.
Should I see a physio or a podiatrist for forefoot pain?
For forefoot pain, a podiatrist. Physios treat the whole body, and a good one will help. But feet are all we do, all day, every day, and forefoot pain is one of the most common things we see. That means we've got the kit for it, like pressure plate analysis and Class 4 laser, and we've seen every version of it walk through the door.
How much does an assessment cost, and is it covered by health insurance?
If you've been in pain for under 6 weeks, a podiatry assessment is €90: muscle, joint and strength testing to find the cause, then a plan to get you back to what you love. If it's been over 6 weeks, a full biomechanical assessment with our Footscan pressure plate is €169. Most Irish health insurance plans that include podiatry will cover some or all of it. Check your policy or ask your insurer, and we'll give you a receipt to claim with.
Do I need a GP referral?
No. You can book directly with any of our clinics, online or by phone, and you'll be seen by a CORU-registered podiatrist.
References
- Morton's neuroma - NHS
This page is for general information and does not replace individual clinical assessment. If symptoms persist, book an appointment with a CORU-registered podiatrist.
Watch: Morton's neuroma explained by our podiatrists
Short videos from our own clinicians.

What is Morton's Neuroma & How We Treat It
Clinical explanation of forefoot nerve irritation, footwear advice, and pressure offloading.
Ready to stop working around the pain?
Leave your number and one of our team will ring you back, usually within one working day. They'll listen to what's going on, answer your questions and find you a time in Finglas or Mount Merrion. There's no pressure to book.
Would rather talk now? (01) 556 3662

