Management of a patient with forefoot pain: a case report

A 16-year-old high school track athlete developed forefoot pain near the end of track season. He developed pain around the metatarsophalangeal joint of his ballux, with pain mostly during propulsion. On examination, he exhibited limited dorsiflexion of the first metatarsophalangeal joint. Treatment for the restricted metatarsophalangeal joint was aimed at restoring normal motion. After five sessions of mobilizing the restricted metatarsophalangeal joint, the patient was able to return to track without complaint. This case report demonstrates the importance of metatarsophalangeal joint dorsiflexion in the management of forefoot pain.