Plantar Fibroma
Medical terminology: plantar fibromatosis
Plantar fibromas are benign (non cancerous) soft tissue masses that grow from the thickening of the feet’s deep connective tissue (fascia). They are most frequently found along the in-step of the foot and are usually painless. If the soft tissue mass continues to grow in size, plantar fibroma can become painful due to the growth rubbing against footwear or the floor when weight bearing. Additional imaging studies may be requested by your family physician to confirm what exactly the soft tissue mass may be and can help create a better treatment plan.
How can you treat?
- Padding to offload pressure from the soft tissue mass.
- Shoe modifications to ensure there is enough room to accommodate the soft tissue mass or ensure there is no rubbing occurring between the shoe and the soft tissue mass.
- Custom-made orthotics to offload pressure from problematic areas.
- Aspiration and injection therapy – involves removing fluid from the soft tissue mass (if present) and then injecting a corticosteroid solution to shrink the soft tissue mass.
Recommendation to prevent the issue:
It is still unknown the exact reason why these soft tissue masses develop in some people but it is proposed that excessive stress/strain to the foot can create the hard bump/lump. Unfortunately some people maybe more genetically prone to growing these plantar fibromas than others
- Avoid ill-fitting footwear that could irritate foot joint movement.
- Avoid stepping on sharp objects or dropping objects on your foot that could injury a foot joint or tendon.
- Inspect your feet regularly to identify and treat the bump/lump before it develops into a larger mass.
