Metatarsalgia is pain in the ball of the foot. It sometimes spreads to the toes. The ball of the foot is the bottom of the foot, where the toes join the foot. While walking might be very painful, the pain is usually not a sign of a serious or permanent problem. But any pain can affect your life, so it is important that you treat it. Pain in this area can be caused by many things. For example, you may have this pain if you stand or walk a lot or wear tight shoes or high heels.