Pain under a metatarsal head is often caused by metatarsalgia, hammertoe deformity, or a plantar plate injury. The plantar plate is a small but very important ligament that stabilizes your toe. When it becomes stretched or torn, the toe starts to drift upward — increasing pressure directly under the joint and causing pain. 👉 Taping works by: • Pulling the toe downward (plantarflexion) • Limiting upward movement • Offloading pressure from the metatarsal head • Allowing the ligament to rest and heal Comment TAPE to get a link for the tape we used ❤️ ⸻ STEP-BY-STEP TAPING 👉 Use ½-inch tape Tape 1 (Main correction): 1. Start on the bottom of the foot, just behind the painful metatarsal head 2.Wrap it up and over the top of the toe, just behind the first knuckle 3. Apply firm tension and pull the toe downward (plantarflexion) 4. Bring the tape back down to the bottom of the toe/foot and secure Create a “RIBBON” shape. Tape 2 (Reinforcement): • Repeat the same steps as Tape 1 • This adds extra stability and support Tape 3 (Anchor): 1. Take a new strip and place it across the bottom of the foot 2. Anchor over the ends of the previous tapes 3. This helps lock the toe in a slightly downward position ⸻ 💡 This technique helps offload pressure and protect the plantar plate while it heals. If your toe is drifting upward, separating, or the pain isn’t improving — get it evaluated early to prevent worsening. Save this for later & share with someone dealing with ball-of-foot pain #taping #tapingtutorial #footpain #metatarsalgia #doctor - @stepsistersdpm