Freiberg’s disease is an infliction or pain that occurs at the end of the 2nd metatarsal (and to a lesser degree the 3rd metatarsal).

The condition isn’t well understood, but it seems to be a combination of repetitive stress to the metatarsal head, loss of blood flow to that bone; This is also known in medicine as an infarction. It literally means death of tissue from lack of blood supply. Thus, resulting in weakening of the bone and subsequent collapse, and even a genetic tendency for it.

In some cases, a traumatic injury may cause the initial damage that then gets worse with time.

Other times, a portion of the end of the bone may get cut off from the vital oxygen and nutrients it needs, weakening it.

Constant or repetitive pressure from bad shoes, activities, and even natural biomechanics then damage the bone and cause the painful deterioration.

As the problem develops, the bone in the metatarsal head begins to break down and slowly flatten out.

Freiberg’s Disease AKA Freidburg’s infarction feels like:

• arthritis.
• It is fairly well localized to the joints affected.
• Swelling is frequently seen.
• The 2nd  (or 3rd) toe also  can eventually become quite stiff.
• It hurts to walk.
• Moving the toe up and down bothers the patient quite a bit.
• It can also hurt on the bottom of the foot quite a bit.
• It can feel fairly severe or just be a nuisance. 

Freiberg’s infarction is much more common in women (5 times more common in some reports).

It generally occurs at an early age. Most common ages are from adolescents to about 30. However, it can occur at any age. There have been reports of Freiberg’s infarction at any age.

Freidberg’s Disease found more common in women, may be due to the fact that women wear high-heeled shoes that put a lot of stress on these bones.

In a normal foot the 2nd metatarsal is frequently a little longer than its neighbors,  and by standing with the foot in a plantar flexed position (like in high heels) a foot is a lot of stress on the end of that bone.

Rare. It is highly unlikely that you will have this problem.

There are other things that affect the area around the second metatarsal and the second toe joint that are much more common.

They include plantar plate rupture, neuromas, metatarsalgia, muscle imbalance causing hammer toes and much more. 

Click here to learn more about foot & ankle conditions. 

There are 5 stages of the disease. They, simply put, just document the severity of the collapse of the metatarsal head.

The more advanced the disease, the more likely chronic pain will occur.