Have you recently noticed a painful bump, or mass, on your foot? Have you noticed this bump getting larger? Then it is time for you to come to Hollowbrook Foot Specialists for a foot exam! Painful bumps on our feet can be caused by many different things. Sometimes they are bones and sometimes they are soft tissue. If they are bone they can be due to either arthritis, spurs, fractures or breaks, or you may have had them your entire life. When the bumps are soft, there are many types of masses that they can be.
Some of the most common types of soft tissue masses are:
- Fibroma
- Fibromas are most commonly found on the bottom of your foot. They are firm nodules made out of fibrotic tissue, which is similar to scar tissue. They are frequently painful when walking due to pressure.
- Lipoma
- Lipomas are made out of fat. They are large, soft masses.
- Ganglion
- Ganglions are soft and freely moveable, fluid-filled cysts. They come from tendon sheaths. You may notice them get larger and smaller throughout the day. When you are resting, they have a tendency to shrink. When you begin to move your muscles and tendons, they will fill with fluid again. These cysts can be aspirated in the office, but sometimes need to be surgically excised.
- Hemangioma
- Hemangiomas are made from blood vessels. They are frequently red to blue in appearance and painless.
All of the above soft tissue masses are not cancerous, however, most of them have a cancerous counterpart. If you notice your mass become increasingly larger in size or have irregular borders, there may be a need for further soft tissue imaging, such as an MRI, or even a biopsy. If your mass is not cancerous, but becomes painful, you may also choose to have it excised.
Others causes of soft tissue masses are systemic diseases. Examples of this are nodules in the joints of fingers and toes, causes by Rheumatoid Arthritis. Gout can also cause masses, known as gouty tophi.
If you have any questions about a bump in your foot, call Hollowbrook Foot Specialists today at (845) 298-9074. We are serving the Hudson Valley from Wappingers Falls.
By: Samantha DelRegno DPM
