Neuritis is pain resulting from irritation of a nerve. On the top of the foot, neuritis is usually caused by mechanical irritation. Sometimes this can be from shoe laces tied too tight. This happens frequently to marathon runners. Cycling shoes with the straps pulled too snug can also cause pain in the midfoot. It is usually the intermediate dorsal cutaneous nerve or deep peroneal nerve that gets compressed between the shoe on top and the hard midfoot bones underneath. Icing and anti-inflammatories can help calm it down, but above all else, you need to make sure you stop the irritation to the nerve.
