Brachymetatarsia or hypoplastic metatarsal is a condition in which there is one or more abnormally short metatarsals. This condition may result due to a congenital defect or it may be an acquired condition. It most frequently involves the fourth metatarsal. If it involves the first metatarsal, the condition is known as Morton's syndrome. Treatment is via a number of differing surgical procedures.

Differential diagnosis

Congenital causes include: Aarskog syndrome and Apert syndrome

Apert syndrome

Apert syndrome is a form of acrocephalosyndactyly, a congenital disorder characterized by malformations of the skull, face, hands and feet. It is classified as a branchial arch syndrome, affecting the first branchial arch, the precursor of the maxilla and mandible...

among many other well acquired causes includes trauma.

Epidemiology

Brachymetatarsia is found to occur 25 times more frequently in women than men with rates of between (1 in 1820) and (1 in 4586), respectively.