Anyone experienced this foot injury?

Research MORTON'S NEUROMA...see if those symptoms coincide...

Couple years ago, I had similar pain and wore a brace for a few weeks

You actually have a tiny little bone by the first metatarsal (ie, under the "ball" of the foot on the big toe end) that can become bruised/inflamed by too much pressure. This typically occurs in someone who is on their feet A LOT with poor shoe support (like modern dancers when they do a lot of jumping, or flight attendants back when they had to wear high heels). Try icing it for 5-10 minutes - stop when your skin begins to get that burning-tingling sensation. You could also buy those gel pads people put in the heels of their shoes and put it in the ball of your shoe instead (you may need athletic tape to get it to stay).

I don't know how similar this is but the ball of my foot hurts. I find it difficult to walk around the house without shoes and morning is almost unbareable to walk. A specialist I saw said that I have a bone spur that is putting pressure on my foot there because the padding on my foot has subsided for some reason and recommended surgery. I don't like going under the knife especially for my feet so I wear an insert that is for the ball of the foot and get a new on about once a month. Wear good shoes I wear them around the store for about 5 minutes to make sure they do not hurt me. I also have a bad ankle that I had surgery on and that is the main reason for wearing the shoes because within 5 minutes I will know if it hurts my ankle. but so far it has helped and the pain after months is calming down.

Could be gout. Make sure you're avoiding processed meats and eating lots of cherries and berries--good time of year because they're in season and you an get fresh and cheap. Also eat pineapple, and fruits and vegetables high in vitamin C (leafy greens , cabbage etc.). Drink lots of water.

Google gout for more info. Could also be something else ... just a thought.

You might have a pinched nerve - repetitive motion can lead to plantar tunnel in your feet the same as it can cause carpal tunnel in your hands. I've had to visit a podiatrist (who is conveniently also my workout buddy, haha) for frequent, severe foot cramps due to chronic fatigue and stress from weight lifting, running, and yoga. She prescribed orthotic inserts to take some of the stress off of my feet and better support my arches, although they aren't ready yet. There are a lot of things that could be causing your issue, though, but it could be fatigue & stress that can be helped by visiting a podiatrist. (My friend says that the Dr. Scholl's inserts are junk, for what it's worth.)

Before I went to the podiatrist, my doctor ran all kinds of tests & blood work on me and couldn't figure out what the issue was, but when I mentioned my problem while I was at the gym with podiatrist-friend she knew what the issue was right away. It might not hurt to have your GP check you out - I know that people with diabetes can have problems with their feet, so it could be something more serious - but definitely see a podiatrist.

Alternately, could it be a stress fracture? Years ago when I was a regular runner, I started having a sharp pain in the arch of my foot, but I just ignored it at first. A doctor's visit and x-ray later, whoops! Stress fracture! I was hobbling on crutches for weeks - that was a major lesson for me.

What you're doing doesn't sound high-impact enough for a stress fracture, but you should be careful just in case. Listen to your body! Go easy if you're hurting and SEE A PODIATRIST ASAP. It sounds like it's most likely just fatigue/a pinched nerve, in which case orthotic inserts will help, but there are other, more serious things that could be wrong. Don't risk it! Take care of yourself!

Is there any swelling? Is the pain constant? Worse when walking?