Fifth MetaTarsal

Muscle Relief

BENEFITS

Helps improve gait, function and posture in foot and ankle, can possibly bring relief to chronic hip, knee and/ or lower back pain, helps in restoring fluidity to all lower body movements

Your fifth metatarsal is worth particular mentioning. If the base of the last metatarsal is congested, it will create a claw-like formation with the rest of your foot. This
can significantly diminish your ability to absorb impact through your inner arch (which it’s designed to do), instead, transferring it up into your skeletal structure (namely, your lower back).

Walk around barefoot on a hard surface. Determine if your feet naturally grip the surface or if you feel the bones in your feet create more of a claw-like formation. A claw-like configuration will feel naturally more disconnected and uncomfortable. You can also test your lower back by performing hip circles or by simply leaning back.

To find this area, use your thumb and index finger to measure the length of your pinky toe. Now move your hand down your foot, replacing your thumb with your index finger’s position to slide ‘one toe length’ down. This new location of your thumb is the base of your fifth metatarsal.

Two ways to perform this technique:

1.) If you have strong hands: Pinch this area hard with a thumb on one side and your middle finger on the other side. Squeeze hard. As you feel this area about to give way to your remarkable strength, pinch your pinky toe (with your other hand) and begin to gently pull it away from your foot. This smash-and-pull is a simultaneous release, and quite thorough.

2.) If you do not have strong hands: Use your lacrosse ball under this exact spot and smash the top of your foot with the palm of your hand. As you can feel the sensation of the area start to give way, pinch your pinky toe with your other hand and begin to gently pull it away from your foot until both the area under the ball and the pinky toe meet a new end-range. There is no ‘popping’ here.

Retest the quality of your feet by walking around barefoot again. You should feel more connected with the surface below you. Also, if this was a determining factor in your lower back pain, then hip circles and leaning backward would feel more pleasant than when you began.

Quick Reference:

1. Discover the base of your fifth metatarsal. If you have strong hands you can pinch the area hard. As you feel the area under your pinch begin to soften, gently pull on your pinky toe for a dual release.