What Is Plantar Fibroma?

A plantar fibroma is a knot of tissue embedded in the plantar fascia – the band of tissue which connects the heel and the toes.  The plantar fascia acts as a shock absorber for your foot, taking the impact your foot feels whenever you walk or run, so naturally a fibroma can become quite painful. 

What Are the Symptoms of Plantar Fibroma?

The most obvious symptom of plantar fibroma is a lump on the bottom of the foot, usually roughly in the middle of the arch. Typically this lump will feel firm, and is usually painless except for when it is pressed onto a surface or the inside of a shoe.

The lump can form on one or both feet, and usually either stay the same size or grow slowly over time. In some cases multiple fibromas can develop. In some more severe cases, the skin and muscle layers of the foot may also be involved and can wrap around the plantar fibroma as it grows.

What Can Cause Plantar Fibroma?

There is no known singular cause of plantar fibroma, however some doctors believe it has a genetic component. However, this doesn’t guarantee that if your parents have it you’ll have it, just that your chance of developing it might be higher.

Some doctors also believe that certain systemic conditions like epilepsy, alcoholism and diabetes can also increase your risk of developing a plantar fibroma, although no clear link has been found between the two.

Shoes which cause the heel and toe to rise can also contribute to the development of a plantar fibroma, as it causes the plantar fascia to stretch and become weak. This, alongside the pressure points and foot structure imbalances these shoes can cause, can cause a fibroma to develop.

A hotly contested cause of plantar fibroma is trauma to the foot. Some doctors believe that a plantar fibroma may develop after an injury to the plantar fascia, as the excess tissue is they body’s reaction to overuse or a puncture wound. However, many doctors and scientists disagree on this point.

How Can Shoe Insoles Help with Plantar Fibroma?

One of the ways shoe insoles can help with plantar fibroma is by distributing the foot’s pressure more evenly. Because the pain plantar fibroma causes is only usually present when it’s pressed, by distributing the pressure of the foot more evenly, the right shoe insole can help relieve the pain the fibroma can cause.

Another way shoe insoles can help with plantar fibroma is by helping the foot into its correct position. By giving the foot extra support in the heel, the right shoe insole can even help reduce the chance of plantar fibroma developing in the first place.

If you’re interested in getting your hands on some insoles for plantar fibroma, head on over to Shoe Insoles and check out our Insoles for Plantar Fibroma.