You’re never too young –– or too old –– to start taking your orthopedic health seriously. Your feet play a huge role in your overall health and wellness, so you should always monitor your feet for aches, pains, bumps, and irregularities. If you’ve recently noticed a bump on the outside of your foot and are looking for answers, then you’ve come to the right place. Here, we’ll explain some possible causes of lumps and bumps on the outside of your foot. More importantly, we’ll also tell you what you can do about them!
Bunions
If it looks like a bunion and feels like a bunion, then it very well could be one! One of the most common causes of a bump forming on your foot or along your big toe is a bunion. Bunions are bony masses that form next to the joint along the side of the big toe. Bunions are essentially the result of a prolonged imbalance of pressure being placed on the foot, which may come about for a number of reasons –– including the natural shape of a person’s foot or even their choice of everyday footwear.
Bunionettes
Like bunions, bunionettes are bony masses that form along the side of the foot. However, bunionettes –– or tailor’s bunions –– develop next to the “pinky toe” joint instead of along the big toe. As their name might suggest, bunionettes are also smaller than typical bunions. Don’t let their cutesy name or small size fool you, though; they can be just as painful as bunions, especially when left untreated over a longer period of time.
Arthritis
Arthritis can cause bumps and lumps to appear on the foot or toe that appear similar to bunions and bunionettes in some instances. However, while bunions affect only joints in the foot, inflammation as a result of arthritis can occur in other joints throughout the body. Worse, sometimes arthritis and bunions can occur at the same time and exacerbate each other’s symptoms. If you are dealing with orthopedic issues as a result of arthritis, you will likely experience other complications and/or pain throughout the rest of your body.
Gout
Gout is a form of arthritis caused by an excessive build-up of uric acid in the blood. Gout symptoms include swelling around the big toe joint, as well as sharp stabbing pains. Gout can cause bumps to form on or along your foot, however, the condition tends to be far more painful than a typical bunion.
Other Lumps & Bumps on the Outside of Your Foot
There are a number of non-cancerous bumps and lumps that may appear on or around the feet. Often these conditions are relatively harmless –– though they may cause some pain or discomfort. They include:
Ganglion Cysts –– small lumps that can cause tingling or numbness in the foot.
Bursitis –– inflamed sacs near foot joints.
Lipomas –– noncancerous growths of fatty tissue.
Sebaceous Cysts –– small lumps that form as a result of overgrown hair follicles or blocked glands.
Plantar Fibromas –– hard, benign nodules that may appear on the arch of the foot
Prevention Tips
When it comes to preventing orthopedic issues such as a bump on the side of foot, it is best to wear proper, well-fitting footwear and to allow proper time for your feet to rest after a long day of strenuous activity such as walking, running, or playing sports. Methods of prevention depend on the cause of a bump since there are numerous reasons for a bump on the side of foot that can be caused by a wide variety of different factors.
Trying to self-diagnose a foot condition such as a bump on the side of foot is not a good idea. It’s very easy to misdiagnose one common issue for another. What’s more, even if you do correctly identify a foot problem, you may not know what to do about it. That’s why it’s important to always speak with a qualified podiatrist if you’re struggling with a foot-related issue.
In addition to speaking with your doctor, there are several other important measures you can take to help prevent foot-pain issues from causing you problems in the first place. Keep these tips in mind:
Maintain a healthy weight and diet.
Monitor your feet closely ––, particularly after an injury.
Wear comfortable shoes and avoid tight-fitting footwear like high heels.
Stretch your feet on a regular basis.
Treatment Options
When it comes to orthopedic issues like bunions, hammertoes, and heel spurs that can cause a bump on the side of foot, your physician might recommend surgery as the best course of action for treatment. While some patients might feel reluctant to undergo a surgical procedure in order to remove a lump or bump near the foot, the good news is that minimally invasive procedures from clinics like Northwest Surgery Center make the removal and treatment of such issues quick and easy, so that you can return to your life free from pain in no time.
Contact Us
At Northwest Surgery Center, our team has years of experience diagnosing and treating numerous foot-related medical issues including issues that can cause a bump on the side of foot. We’re experts in the field of minimally invasive surgery for the treatment of numerous orthopedic issues, and we can help give you the diagnosis you need in order to find the perfect treatment option for your situation. From hammertoes, to bunions, to heel spurs –– we’ve got you covered. Don’t wait – contact us today to schedule an appointment and get back to living your life free from orthopedic pain.
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