Lumps On Your Arch? Could Be Plantar Fibromas

by | Jul 20, 2018

When you’re afraid or sad, you might say that you have a “lump in your throat.” The phrase means that your throat is constricted due to intense emotions. You might be choked up or overwhelmed with just about everything—life is pretty hard sometimes! You might even have a lump in your throat because you’re overwhelmed with worry about the lumps on yourfeet. Those lumps are known as a plantar fibromas and, don’t worry, we can help you.

All about These Worrisome Lumps

Plantar fibromas are nodules located in the plantar fascia, which is the tissue that runs from the heels to the toes along the arch of the foot. There can be a singular lump or multiples present. Smaller lumps can form around the big singular lump over time as well. The lumps form as a result of the herniation and thickening of the plantar fascia tissue.

These types of lumps are non-cancerous and a biopsy will need to be performed to make sure you do, in fact, have a fibroma. This is to rule out the chances that you lump isn’t a fibroma, but a malignant tumor, which would require immediate treatment.

How Does Your Foot Feel?

When you first notice the lump it may be small in size. The lump may stay the same size or grow bigger as time goes on. You’ll be able to see and feel it. Firm to the touch, the lump can create pain with walking, standing, or wearing shoes that rub against it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Causes Are Hard to Find

No official causes exist for these nodules. However, trauma to the arch area might spur the development of a fibroma. When the tissue in your arch tears and tries to repair itself, it might over-repair the area and lead to small nodules. Sometimes, these small lumps will remain relatively small only to materialize at a later date very rapidly, which can definitely make you worried. Conditions like epilepsy, alcoholism, and diabetes may also put you more at risk for getting a lump in your arch.

Don’t Worry, Be Happy at Sierra Foot & Ankle

If there is no pain present with the lump, we may just leave it alone and have you closely monitor the size. You should come back and see us if the size suddenly increases or you start to experience pain. Initially, if the lump isn’t showing any signs of further growth, we can prescribe custom orthotics that will take pressure off the lump and lessen the stretching of your plantar fascia, which tends to aggravate the problem.

Steroid injections might be another way to help shrink the mass, but it’s a more invasive method that involves injection directly to the area. There is also a chance that the neuroma will swell back to its original size. If you want a less invasive option, physical therapy might give you some relief.

If your pain is too much to handle, we might suggest surgery as an option. The procedure is very involved, but it’s only to make sure the nodule has a slim chance of growing back. This condition carries a high recurrence rate, so we want to make sure we do everything we can to keep it from returning and limiting your lifestyle.

Once surgery is complete, another good way to keep you nodule from coming back is to follow your doctor’s instructions carefully for how to treat your fibroma after surgery. We might ask you to stay off the area for three weeks and wear a cast or boot.

If the lump on your foot is causing you extreme worry and pain, please see Sierra Foot & Ankle for an initial appointment for your plantar fibromas. We will always exhaust conservative methods to treat your lesion before we go further in treatment. It’s easy—make an appointment at our Carson City office by calling (775) 783-8037 to ease your fears.

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Carson City, NV 89701

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