Lumps in Your Feet? May Be A Plantar Fibroma

So, I saw this patient the other day with large lumps on the bottom of her foot. She complained of pain when walking on the lumps and denied any trauma. She said they just “popped up”. After examining the lumps, I diagnosed her with plantar fibromas.

These are thickenings of the plantar fascia or the ligament on the bottom of the foot. They can be genetic, occur from trauma or just appear with no reason. She had tried changing shoes, but this did not change anything.

Conservative care for plantar fibromas includes:
· padding or custom orthotics to offload the lumps
· deep tissue massage
· physical therapy
· injection therapy
· topical verapimil

I explained the surgical treatment was removal of the lump along with a large section of the plantar fascia to reduce recurrence. But this condition has a 20% recurrence rate even with removal of the fascia. So all attempts at conservative care should be made.

If you are experiencing "lumps" in your feet or pain when walking, see a podiatrist today! Not all lumps are fibromas, a small amount are cancer. Early detection is the key! For more information, visit our website! Lots of great foot information!