Plantar fibromatosis refers to a benign growth of tissue that occurs in the arch tissues of the foot.  It is frequently confused with plantar fasciitis.  Although both conditions involve the large ligament in the foot known as the plantar fascia, they are not one and the same.  Whereas plantar fasciitis involves a strain and inflammation of the plantar fascia, plantar fibromatosis is the development of “bump like” growths within the facial tissue.

Plantar fibromas are not typically painful unless direct pressure to the growth is applied or they become large enough to be irritated by the shoe.  These growths are difficult to treat.  The standard therapy of cortisone injections is painful and has a very low success rate.  Surgical removal of these growths can be undertaken, however they reoccur at an alarming rate, and therefore is reserved to those cases that fail more conservative therapy.  When treatment is necessary, we prefer the use of cryosurgery which is the use of a specialized probe that allows the application of extremely cold temperature directly into the lesion.  In most cases we have seen a greater than 60% success with one or two treatments with this minimally invasive procedure.