What Is Plantar Fibroma?

What is plantar fibroma?

Plantar fibroma is a non-cancerous bump, no more than an inch in diameter, that develops on your plantar fascia — the thick band of tissue on the bottom of your foot that connects the heel bone to your toes. 

What should you do if you have plantar fibroma?

There are a few ways to treat your plantar fibroma. You can take the conservative route, which involves physical therapy to break down the scar tissue in order to decrease inflammation and pain while increasing the blood flow, stimulating the growth of a healthy plantar fascia. Massaging the bottom of your feet can also promote breaking down the scar tissues. I recommend getting a frozen bottle of water and rolling it on the bottom of the affected foot for 15-20 minutes in the evening. It’s important to stabilize the plantar fascia to help minimize further exacerbation of the fibroma, so I also recommend that my patients look into padding and strapping, as well as custom molded orthotics. To manage discomfort and pain, you can also opt to take a topical or oral anti-inflammatory, as well as asking your podiatrist about cortisone injections.

The very last resort would be a minimally invasive surgery called Tenex. During this procedure, we create a tiny incision, then insert a needle that uses high frequency vibrations to break up and take out the damaged scar tissues. This requires no stitching, so you can walk right out of the operating room. Before exploring any of these options, please make a trip to the podiatrist to confirm that this is plantar fibroma and not a cancerous lump.  

Dr. Miguel Cunha, founder of Gotham Footcare and a leading podiatrist in Manhattan, is a highly trained and skilled foot and ankle surgeon with experience treating a wide array of foot and ankle conditions, from minor problems to complex reconstructive foot and ankle surgery.