18
Apr

Painful Lump in the Arch of My Foot

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Painful Lump in the Arch of My Foot: Complete Home Treatment Guide!

 

The Painful Lump in the Arch of My Foot is most likely due to plantar fasciitis, but if you can feel a “pebble- like mass” it is a plantar fibroma!

 

 

The Painful Lump in the Arch of My Foot: This is one of three potential causes:

 

Lump On Bottom Of The Foot Causes:

Most likely to least likely bottom of the foot lump causes:

 

1) Plantar Fasciitis can swell and cause a lump:
  • Plantar fasciitis might not always cause a huge lump, but it is the most common source of arch & heel pain.
  • This can cause your arch ligaments to swell.
  • This condition is #1 simply because it is just so common, but it is more of a swollen lump rather than a rock hard mass.

 

lump on bottom of foot
The plantar fascia is a thick ligament on the bottom of your foot. It can become swollen & prominent. This is usually painful.

 

2) Plantar Fibroma is the most common lump or bump causing problem:

 

  • The plantar fascia is a hard connective tissue formation at the bottom of your foot, when it sustains damage it can scar and swell into a big thick ball of tissue that feels like a tumor.
  • This can feel like a hard pebble just under your skin. If can range from 2mm to 5 cm!
  • We frequently encounter this in our clinic.
  • When measured with an ultrasound we can quickly confirm whether it is a fibroma or something else that may be more dangerous.
lump on bottom of foot
A plantar fibroma is a connective tissue thickening. It can seem like a rock or pebble underneath your skin.

3) Foot Lump Cancer, the most rare but most dangerous cause:

 

  • This is very, very rare.
  • Usually you don’t have anything to worry about as these are extremely rare, but there is always comfort in known for sure.
  • In our office we would definitely screen it with an ultrasound and possibly even send you for an MRI or perform a tissue biopsy.
  • If you are worried, it is better to make 100% sure.
  • If you have a hard discrete bump, it is likely a fibroma; but cancer must be ruled out.
Foot Lump Cancer
Dangerous cancer is very rare in the foot. But if there is ever a suspicious lump, get it checked out.

 

 

Lump On Bottom Of The Foot Home Treatment Guide:

 

There are many treatment options available for handling these problems.

The good news is most lumps and bumps in the foot and arch can be handled without having to do foot surgery.

We are able to achieve over 95% success in our clinic through good diagnosis, imaging, orthotics and shoes.

 

1) Plantar Fasciitis:

Most likely due to plantar fasciitis if there is no “pebble-like mass” involved, but instead the ligament is very sore.

 

  • This is an overuse injury.
  • It is from too much stress on the ligament.
  • The more your foot flattens, the more you work, the stiffer your are in your legs, the more likely you are to get plantar fasciitis.

 

Painful Lump in the Arch of My Foot
Chronic irritation & stretching of your plantar fascia can cause it to thicken. This will cause morning pain & after rest pain.

 

  • The pain is usually concentrated on the inside sole of your foot extending to your heel.
  • It can seem like a lump in the sole of the foot.
  • This pain is due to inflammation & overuse of your foot ligaments.
  • Over years and decades a bone spur can develop from the bottom of your heel.
  • If you push hard onto the front of your heel or arch, it will feel painful.

 

 

Symptoms of Plantar Fasciitis:
Painful Foot Lumps
Once you start moving or massaging your feet they start to feel better. But eventually they will start hurting again.
  • Pain in the morning when you wake up.
  • Pain after rest.
  • Seems like possible lumps on feet with pain.
  • Pain usually gets much better after 15-20 minutes of moving around.
  • Pain that gets better from anti-inflammatory medication.
  • Pain that feels better after massaging the bottom of your foot.
  • Pain that gets better after icing your foot with a frozen water bottle.

 

 

Arch Pain Due To Fasciitis Treatment:
lump in the sole of the foot
Treatment of your painful arch lump focuses on confirming, destressing & preventing inflammation.

Treatment usually consists:

1)Confirm The Heel Pain 100%:

  • Make sure that you have plantar fascitis before you treat it.
  • Your podiatrist will be able to help you with this. But this is a very common cause of pain in the foot and ankle, probably the most common cause.
  • It is especially frustrating to spend time & money treating something that you do not have!

2) Stop the Heel Pain:

  • Decreasing inflammation is the most critical initial step.
  • This is usually very successful at over 90%.
  • Once the pain is gone, making sure it stays away is the next step.
  • We can jumpstart this process with icing, anti-inflammatories, stretching and sometimes an injection if the pain is terrible for you.
  • You wouldn’t stretch a really injured muscle and work it out right away, you know you need to let it rest first, so treat your fascia the same way!

 

Painful Lump in the Arch of My Foot
Decreasing pain & eliminating it altogether is the central theme of treatment.

3)  Manage Your Foot Biomechanics & Inflammation:

  • Abnormal biomechanics or unusual stress on your foot is usually to blame.
  • This means heavy weight, long work hours, less flexibility than when you were a teenager.
  • It is essential that you control your foot biomechanics:
  • This is done through shoe selection, arch control, stretching & strengthening exercises.
  • A great pair of over the counter orthotics and a really good shoe will usually be enough to get this done for you!

 

4)Shockwave therapy for plantar fasciitis:

We have had great success with shockwave therapy for plantar fasciitis.


5) Invasive Therapy:

  • This is usually only needed in 5% of people.
  • We rarely ever need to do surgery on your foot unless you have extra stuff going on like a huge spur.
  • Find out if surgery may be needed, shockwave therapy or injections.

 

Painful Arch Lump Treatment Guide:

  • Over 90% of people can be treated conservatively according to vast research data.
  • So all that is left is to start your treatment!
  • Four Stage Treatment Plan

 

 

 

2) Plantar fibroma:

If you can feel a “pebble- like mass” it is most likely a plantar fibroma:


 

This is less common, but more like a lump than plantar fasciitis is.

Painful Lump in the Arch of My Foot
A plantar fibroma is usually a hard discrete & palpable mass. It feels like a pebble or rock under the skin.
  • A plantar fibroma is a large nodule of connective tissue that is not a dangerous cancer.
  • It is a harmless tumor that should pose no risk except irritating the bottom of your foot from pressure.
  • If you feel as though the only way the pain will ever get better is to remove the nodule.
  • It is possible to greatly decrease this pain, but eventually surgery may be necessary.

 

Lump in sole of foot
A fibroma is possible anywhere in the body. But it is most likely as a lump in the sole of the foot.

 

 

Symptoms of a Plantar Fibroma:
  • A “pebble-like” mass at the bottom of your foot.
  • Non-painful when touched alone, but extremely sore while walking on it for a while.
  • Pain with weight-bearing over the mass.
  • Lump on foot with no pain.
  • Many non-painful lumps on feet.
  • A hard lump on foot.

 

hard lump on foot
A hard lump on the foot can be worked around with an orthotic. With a cutout you won’t even know it is there!

Bottom Of The Foot Fibroma Treatment:
  • If the lump is small then you can treat it as if though it were simply plantar fasciitis.
  • We have developed a complete four stage treatment guide that will follow the bottom of your foot pain from the beginning all the way through the end no matter how far you have to go.
Plantar Fibroma Treatment Guide.

 

 

If The Bottom Of the Foot Fibroma Is Large Or Multiple:

Surgery may be the only option:

  • If the Lump is large, SURGERY may be the only treatment.
  • You should consult an experienced foot doctor or podiatrist as soon as possible to discuss your options.

 

 

 

Other Minor Causes:

  1. Plantar Fasciitis.
  2. Pain in the Heel Bone.
  3. Bottom Foot Pain in Arch and Heel.
  4. Pain in Back Heel of Foot.
  5. Painful Foot Arch.
  6. The Outside of the Foot.
  7. Sprained Arch.
  8. Cramps in the Arch.
  9. Bruised Heel.
  10. Stone Bruise.

 

 

About the author

The Modern Podiatrist (Foot and Ankle Specialist Doctor):Today's podiatrist is required to undergo rigorous medical training that licenses them as physicians with equivalent legal standing to the MD and DO degree (These are physician recognized licenses most common only in the USA). Although admittedly the training does differ between the three degrees. The differences are listed below.In Michigan Podiatrists are trained and authorized to perform surgery in the foot and ankle up to the tibial tubercle below the knee.All our podiatrists and foot doctors have undergone rigorous training including a 4 undergraduate college degree, writing the medical school entrance exam (MCAT), followed by a 4 year medical school degree (DPM - Doctor of Podiatric Medicine),Once podiatrists in the USA complete the rigorous 4 year medical school courses, they are required to complete a minimum of 3 years of a surgical and non-surgical residency program. Some podiatrists and foot doctors then choose to go on to further fellowship training specializing in various forms of specialty such as diabetic surgery or reconstructive foot and ankle surgery.The training is not over yet! Each podiatrist must be judged by a governing body where they submit their surgical cases and are reviewed regularly to ensure excellent results. This is a career long evaluation with board qualifications and certifications every few years.So have faith that today's podiatrist is your best choice for your foot and ankle problems! We are able to approach you foot and ankle problems from a non-surgery perspective, but that when necessary we can provide you with the treatment that you need!All articles written by this account are considered to be for educational purposes only. It is impossible for us to truly assess your condition and the advice we give here is meant to give you a basis to then follow up with your podiatrist and foot doctor later.If you have any questions at all, or there is anything that we can help you with, please feel free to contact our office or email us. Podiatrists provide medically necessary treatment which should be covered by valid insurance plans, we are not a cosmetic or elective medical specialty.