Lump, bump, thickening, or growth on the toe, foot, or ankle

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Lump, bump, thickening, or growth on the toe, foot, or ankle

A lump, bump, thickening, or growth may have a number of causes, such as:

• Shoes rubbing and causing a callus or corn to develop. Wear a more comfortable pair of shoes and pad irritated skin to relieve pressure and discomfort.
• A painful swollen bump (bunion) on your big toe joint or a bump on the little toe (bunionette). See an illustration of a bunion or bunionette . For more information, see the topic Bunions in Related Information.
• Thickened skin around a plantar wart, a virus that may be treated with medication or surgical removal. For more information, see the topic Warts and Plantar Warts in Related Information.
• A bony or soft tissue mass such as a heel spur. Often a heel spur can be left alone. Occasionally surgery is needed.

A hard bump on the back of your heel may be Haglund's deformity, which is related to a type of bursitis of the heel (retrocalcaneal bursitis). Bursitis is an inflammation of the sacs (bursae) that contain small amounts of lubricating fluid to help tendons and joints move smoothly.

A growth may be a reaction to an earlier injury, a hidden sliver, or a skin cancer.

Credits

Last updated:	October 27, 2008
Author:	Jan Nissl, RN, BS
Reviewed By:	Kathleen Romito, MD - Family Medicine, Gavin W.G. Chalmers, DPM - Podiatry and Podiatric Surgery
Editors:	Susan Van Houten, RN, BSN, MBA, Tracy Landauer