Do You Have Unexplained Arch Pain?

If you have persistent, unexplainable pain in the arch of your foot that is making it progressively harder to walk, then you may have a plantar fibroma. This anomaly forms on the plantar fascia which is the connective tissue that runs across the bottom of your foot. This deep tissue begins to thicken concurrently with the growth of cords and nodules along the plantar fascia. As your toes become more stiff and bent, walking becomes painful. The nodules that cause this phenomenon grow rather slowly initially, and can even lie dormant for years before reoccurring.

The causes of plantar fibroma may be genetic. Trauma from injuries, or from wearing poorly fitting footwear like high-heeled shoes, can initiate the growth of the nodules, as can certain medications.

Treating plantar fibroma

A visit to your foot doctor is essential for ruling out other causes of your arch pain like nerve tumors, cysts, or tendon breakages, and to ensure that proper treatment is initiated. X-rays or MRI images will help to identify the fibroma and differentiate it from the surrounding tissue. Specially designed toe spacers can be used to reallocate the weight and remove some of the stress from the fibroma. Changing your shoes to flatter footwear with more toe room can also help.

For more complicated cases, cryosurgery that freezes the nodules with liquid nitrogen may be necessary. This procedure is practically painless and has few postoperative complications.

If you have continuing pain in the arch of your foot, seeing a foot specialist will set you on the path to relief. At Fit Feet for Life, our team of board-certified podiatrists has access to advanced technologies and years of experience to help diagnose and treat a variety of foot and ankle problems, including heel pain, sports injuries, toe deformities, nail fungus, and plantar warts.  Bonnie Sanchez, DPM, and Gregory Cook, DPM, provide high quality foot and ankle care to patients in the Tampa/St. Petersburg area at our five offices conveniently located in Sun City Center, Clearwater, St. Petersburg, and our two Tampa locations. Please contact us for more information or to schedule an appointment.