Friday, September 18, 2009

Plantar Fibroma Symptoms And Treatment

By Allan Tan

A fibrous knot, called a plantar fibroma, can form in the arch of the foot. The knot of fibrous tissue of a plantar fibroma is located in the plantar fascia which is the tendon that runs from the heel to the base of the toes.

The presence of plantar fibroma is sometimes called plantar fibromatosis. The most common cause of plantar fibromatosis is trauma to the plantar fascia. This trauma can be a puncture wound or injury from repetitive impact such as during running. These injuries can cause a tear in the plantar fascia which can lead to the development of a plantar fibroma.

An individual with a plantar fibroma may notice a firm lump in the arch of the foot. This lump can cause pain, especially from pressure of shoes pushing against the lump.

The tissue of a plantar fibroma is not cancerous. Plantar fibroma will often shrink or go away without treatment.

A physician is likely to press on the lump when diagnosing a plantar fibroma. Pressing on the lump can cause pain that may radiate down to the toes. The physician may order an MRI or biopsy to confirm the diagnosis.

If the plantar fibroma is not causing the person pain, the doctor may want to take a wait-and-see approach to see if the plantar fibroma disappears on its own. There are noninvasive and surgical treatment methods available for plantar fibromas that are causing pain.

The physician may recommend the use of orthotics devices such as shoe inserts to help relieve pressure on the plantar fibroma. The physician may suggest the use of over-the-counter pain relief medication.

Other treatment options include physical therapy, steroid injections, and cryoablation if the primary noninvasive treatment methods fail to provide relief. For treatment with steroid injections, the physician may inject corticosteroids into the fibroma to shrink it.

Cryoablation is a process in which a probe is inserted in an incision on the arch of the foot and is used to freeze the area around the plantar fibroma. The freezing damages the nerves around the fibroma which stops the individual from being able to feel pain in that area. Cryoablation can also be used to treat plantar fasciitis.

Surgical removal of the plantar fibroma is one possible treatment option, but it is often not recommended due to possible complications. Surgical removal of a plantar fibroma can cause flattening of the arch of the foot.

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