The forefoot consists of the five toes and their connecting long bones, the metatarsals. Each toe (phalanx) is made up of small bones called phalanges. The phalanges of all five toes are connected to the metatarsals by metatarsophalangeal (MTP) joints at the ball of the foot. During efficient walking and running, the forefoot bears half the body’s weight and balances pressure on the ball of the foot, and the big toe joint (first MTP joint) should take on the majority of the push off force for forward movement.