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Don’t Ignore the Bump
Bumps on My Feet: 7 Possible Causes and What You Should Do About Them
Noticing strange bumps on your feet can be alarming, especially if they’re painful or growing over time. Whether they appear on the top, bottom, or sides of your feet, these lumps could be signs of common conditions like cysts, bunions, calluses, or even more serious medical issues. Understanding the cause is the first step to proper treatment—and peace of mind. In this guide, we’ll break down the most common reasons you might be seeing bumps on your feet and what you can do about them.
Why do I have Bumps on my Feet?
The 12 most common bumps on feet!
Bunions (Hallux Valgus)
Bunions are bony bumps that form at the base of the big toe. They often cause pain, swelling, and redness, especially when wearing tight shoes. Over time, they can lead to misalignment of the toe.
Corns
Corns are small, thickened areas of skin that develop due to pressure or friction, often caused by ill-fitting shoes. They usually form on the tops or sides of the toes and can be painful.
Calluses
Calluses are larger, rough patches of skin that develop from repetitive friction or pressure. Unlike corns, they usually occur on the soles of the feet and are less likely to cause pain unless they become too thick.
Plantar Warts
Caused by a viral infection (the human papillomavirus or HPV), plantar warts appear on the soles of the feet and often have a rough, grainy texture. They can be painful when pressure is applied, such as while walking.
Ganglion Cysts
These non-cancerous fluid-filled sacs can form on the top of the foot or near the ankle. They are usually painless but can sometimes cause discomfort depending on their size and location.
Bone Spurs
Bone spurs are bony projections that can develop on the feet, particularly at the heel or toes. They are often associated with conditions like arthritis and can cause pain when they irritate nearby tissues.
Morton’s Neuroma
This painful bump forms between the toes, often between the third and fourth toe, due to thickened tissue around a nerve. It causes burning, tingling, and discomfort when walking.
Sesamoiditis
Inflammation of the sesamoid bones (small bones located under the big toe joint) can lead to pain and swelling. A bump may appear at the base of the big toe, often due to overuse or pressure from footwear.
Cysts (Epidermoid Cysts)
Epidermoid cysts are small, firm lumps under the skin, typically caused by blocked hair follicles or sweat glands. They may appear on any part of the foot and are usually painless unless infected.
Blisters
Blisters are small fluid-filled pockets that form between the layers of skin due to friction or burns. While they are typically temporary, they can form bumps that may cause pain and discomfort until healed.
Charcot Foot (Neuropathic Arthropathy)
This is a progressive condition that can cause swelling, deformity, and bumps on the feet due to nerve damage, often seen in patients with diabetes. It can lead to the collapse of the foot’s arch and misalignment.
Gout
Gout is a form of arthritis caused by the buildup of uric acid crystals in the joints, often affecting the big toe. This condition can cause sudden, painful swelling and the formation of a bump in the affected area.
Bumps On The Bottom of My Feet Video
This video goes over bumps on the bottom of your feet!
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Bump on the Bottom of Your Feet? Don’t Ignore!
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Toenail Pain (Toenail Fungus, Ingrown Toenails, Discolored Toenails)
Nail Problems
Toenail Fungus Treatment
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Impacted Toenail Treatment
Podiatrist Ingrown Treatment
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Bruised Toenail or Hematoma
Discolored Toenail from Nail Polish
Toenail Falling Off from Fungus
Toenail and Toe Cancer
Why Is It My Toenail Falling Off
Peeling Toenails
Horizontal Lines on Toenails
Horizontal Ridges on Toenail
Ingrown Toenail Treatment
Impacted Toenail Treatment
Podiatrist Ingrown Treatment
Onychocryptosis
Bruised Toenail or Hematoma
Discolored Toenail from Nail Polish
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Why Is It My Toenail Falling Off
Peeling Toenails
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Think Yellow Toenails
Do Podiatrist Cut Toenails
White Spots on Toenails
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White Superficial Onychomycosis
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White and Chalky Toenails From Nail Polish
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Red Toenails
Black Toenails
Black Toenail Fungus
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Bright Green Toenails
Why Are the Bottom of My Feet Yellow
Do Podiatrist Cut Toenails
White Spots on Toenails
White Patches on Toenails
White Superficial Onychomycosis
White Spots on Nails
White and Chalky Toenails From Nail Polish
White Horizontal Lines on Toenails
Red Toenails
Black Toenails
Black Toenail Fungus
Black Toenail Falling Off
Black Spot Under Toenail
Black Streaks Under the Nails
Bright Green Toenails
Why Are the Bottom of My Feet Yellow
Bumps on the Bottom of My Feet Video Description:
- Bumps on the bottom of the feet are usually related to plantar fibromatosis.
- A plantar fibroma is a thickening of the plantar fasciitis
- We go over the best home remedies, the best massage, and the best exercises.
What Are These Bumps on My Feet?
- “What are these bumps on my feet?” is a common question we hear as podiatrists.
- These are the most common causes of bumps on the feet that we see:
Bumps on the Outside Middle of the Foot.
- Bumps on the outside middle of the foot are most commonly known as the styloid process.
- This is a common bone that we see and can frequently develop thick, scaly tissue or callus over top of it.
Bumps on the top of the foot.
- Bumps on top of the foot are very common, this could be a high arched cavus foot type, or it could be osteoarthritis on top of the foot.
- Top of the foot pain can cause bumps and pain very commonly.
Big Bumps on the Bottom of the Foot?
- If you have a thick big lump or bump on the bottom of your foot, this could be something called plantar fibroma.
- Plantar fibromatosis is a common condition we see as podiatrists. We have some great videos and guides for this condition here.
- We go over the best shoes for plantar fibroma pain as well.
- Plantar fibromatosis is made up of keratin can be very painful!
Toe Calluses or Foot Calluses
- Calluses are a thick buildup of skin. This is also known as hyperkeratosis. Calluses are usually caused by pressure with bones or prominent areas in the bottom of the foot.
- We go over what to do about these big thick lumps and bumps on the bottom of your foot!
- These could be red and painful bumps on your foot if they are aggravated.
Toe Corns or Foot Corns
- Corns are a little bit different than calluses.
- As podiatrists, we see corns very commonly.
- They are like a spiked center that develops in a callus, and this can cause pain. This is known as hyperkeratotic tissue, and it is theorized to be a plugged sweat gland.
- We have a great guide on corn removal and had a treat for your corns.
Lipomas
- A lipoma is a buildup of fatty tissue that can be very commonly on the human body.
- The most common location of the lipoma is on the outside bottom of the ankle. This can also be called your subtalar joint.
- When the foot really flattens, the fatty tissue buildup can occur here.
- This is a prevalent site of buildup on the outside of the ankle.
Morton’s Neuroma
- Morton’s neuroma can be a swollen buildup on the front center of your foot.
- This usually happens between her third and fourth toes between the third and fourth metatarsal joints.
- This can cause numbness burning, and tingling in a sharp shooting zapping pain.
- If you think you have a Morton’s neuroma click on our guide treat it here.
- We also go over our favorite shoes for Morton’s neuroma pain.
Plantar Warts
- Do you have a wart, a corn, or callus?
- We went over how to tell the difference between the 3 and had a treat these.
- Plantar warts are generally caused by a virus called HPV.
- We go over our favorite treatments for plantar wart care.
Foot or Heel Bursitis
- Many types of bursitis can develop in the foot.
- The most common is bursitis of the big toe joint, bursitis of the fifth metatarsal joint, and finally bursitis of the heel.
- Heel bursitis is the buildup of swollen tissue along the heel.
Haglund’s Bump Deformity
- A Haglands bump is a bony prominence that develops on the back of the heel.
- The Achilles tendon does insert into the back of the heel, and the skin can appear swollen.
- This can sometimes do appear as a big red bump on the back of your foot and heel.
Cysts
- A ganglion cyst is a pervasive form that can appear on your foot.
- These are very common on top of the foot, on the side of the ankle, on the side of the foot, and top of the smaller toes.
- A ganglion cyst is usually not dangerous in his joint fluid herniating out of the joints.
- This appears like a big thick pimple underneath the skin that will not pop.
Dyshidrotic Eczema
- The most common cause of red itchy bumps on foot is called dyshidrotic eczema.
- This is usually due to irritation of the skin.
- This can happen due to sweat, irritation, or rubbing against the socks or shoes.
- The best way to treat this is to cleanse the skin and soap the skin, and potentially treat it with a topical antifungal or antibiotic if there are continued issues.
- We go over how to treat these itchy red bumps and lumps here.
What Causes Bumps on Feet?
- Bumps on feet have a lot of different causes.
- Look above, and he will see her list of top 12 causes of bumps on the feet.
- We commonly see skin conditions affect the feet as well.
- The most common cause of ” bumps on my feet” is eczema, which can cause little red bumps on the feet that cause pain.
- Keeping you be clean and soaked can really make a big difference in helping in this case.
What Do Red Bumps on your Feet Mean?
- Red bumps on your feet usually mean that you have an eczema reaction.
- The most common causes are irritations to external factors.
- This means too much sweat especially rubbing in your gym shoes or your gym socks.
- It is a good idea to keep your socks change especially while breathable shoes and with breathable socks.
- This will also help with foot rubbing and irritation.
- It can help to moisturize your feet with a good moisturizing foot lotion.
Why Do I Have Small Bumps on my Feet?
- Patient’s frequently asked a question, “why to have small bumps on the feet?”
- This usually means that you are having irritation to your skin.
- This could be eczema or dermatitis.
- This means that your skin is being irritated by either sweat or material such as socks.
How Do I Get Rid of Sweat Bumps on my Feet?
- Patients frequently ask us about “how to get rid of sweat bumps on feet?”
- The most common way to get rid of sweat bumps is to get good breathable socks to handle sweat.
- The second best way is to get a good supportive shoe that is breathable and non-constrictive.
- Another good way is to talk with your podiatrist and foot doctor about getting an antiperspirant for your feet.
- An aluminum-based antiperspirant can really help.
What Causes Itchy Bumps on Hands and Feet?
- The most common causes of itchy bumps on hands and feet are dermatitis and eczema.
- This can cause a lot of tenderness through both the left and the right feet.
- The best way to do this is to keep your feet clean with Epsom salt foot soaks, which can really make a big difference and improve the quality of your feet.
- Keep your feet clean, wear good breathable socks and wear good breathable shoes.
What Causes Bumps on the Bottom of the Feet?
- The most common cause of bumps on the bottom of the feet is a plantar fibroma. This is also known as plantar fibromatosis.
- The cause is debatable, but a lump in your plantar fascia can usually cause this.
- Our favorite way to treat this is to wear good supportive plantar fibroma shoes, a good supportive plantar fibroma orthotic.
- We also love to utilize shockwave therapy to break up the scar tissue that forms the lump of your plantar fibroma.
Athlete’s Foot Bumps on the Feet
- Athlete’s feet can easily cause bumps on their feet.
- The athlete’s foot is the buildup of foot fungus.
- This can cause eczema and dermatitis on the skin.
- The skin can turn red and become irritated. This can cause small little bumps on the feet and little itchy red bumps on the feet.
- The best way to treat the athlete’s foot is to reduce sweat and fungus from the foot.
- We go over the BEST athlete’s foot treatment guide right here.
Red Pimple-like Bumps on the Feet
- Red pimple-like bumps can be due to eczema and dermatitis.
- This can also be associated with forming an athlete’s foot and foot fungus or even bacteria.
- Forming a pimple-like bump means that your body is trying to digest the foreign substance and spit it out.
- This can happen with bacterial or fungus buildup or foreign substances such as ingrown hair.
- If you have a severe bacterial infection or an abscess, call your doctor immediately. If you are in Michigan, see us, and we can help take care of your skin problem on your foot.
- Follow our athlete’s foot fungus treatment as well.
- small red bumps on feet
- tiny itchy bumps on feet
- itchy pus filled bumps on feet
- white bumps on feet and ankles
- itchy bumps on ankles and feet
- bumps on top of feet
- itchy bumps on the bottom of feet
- blister-like bumps on feet
- clear itchy bumps on feet
- itchy bumps filled with clear liquid on feet
DISCLAIMER:
Dr. Tomasz Biernacki received his Doctor of Podiatric Medicine degree from Kent State College of Podiatric Medicine in 2013; he completed his Surgical Reconstructive Foot Surgery & Podiatric Medicine Residency in 2017; he completed 2x traveling Fellowships in Diabetic Surgery, Skin Grafting & Nerve Surgery. He is double board certified in Podiatric Medicine and Foot & Ankle Surgery.
Dr. Biernacki is a licensed podiatrist & surgeon in Michigan. This video should not be used to self-diagnose and is not a substitute for a medical exam, cure, treatment, diagnosis, prescription, or recommendation. It does not create a doctor-patient relationship between Dr. Biernacki and you. It would be best to not change your health regimen or diet before consulting a physician and obtaining a medical exam & diagnosis.
Always seek the advice of a physician or other qualified health provider with any questions regarding a medical condition.
FAQs: Understanding and Managing Bumps on Your Feet
These may be caused by plantar warts, fibromas, or calluses due to pressure or friction.
Not always, but if they’re painful, growing, or affecting mobility, they should be evaluated by a podiatrist.
Some minor bumps like calluses or corns can be treated at home, but persistent or painful ones may need professional care.
A bunion is a bony bump at the base of your big toe, often painful and associated with swelling or redness.
Warts typically have a rough surface and may show small black dots. A podiatrist can help confirm the diagnosis.
If they’re painful, changing in size or color, or limiting your activity, it’s best to consult a healthcare provider.
Yes, ill-fitting shoes can lead to bunions, corns, and calluses over time due to constant friction or pressure.
Treatment varies depending on the cause—it may include orthotics, medications, minor surgery, or simple lifestyle changes.
