Why Do I Have a Bump on the Top of My Foot?
An injury, corns, callouses, cysts, or other health conditions can cause a bump on your foot. They can be painful and make walking difficult, but there are treatments to ease your symptoms.
Injury
An injury during exercise, especially if it involves your feet, can cause a bump on the top of your foot. See your doctor if you have trouble putting weight on your foot or ongoing bruising, swelling, or pain.
Blisters
Blisters are fluid-filled bumps that form under the epidermis layer of your skin. They usually appear on your hands and feet. A blister on your foot happens when something like an ill-fitting shoe rubs against it over and over.
Blisters tend to get better after a few days without treatment. In the meantime, you can clean the area with mild soap and apply an antibacterial cream or ointment. Protect the blister with a bandage or gauze, and change it daily. Avoid popping or breaking a blister, as it can cause an infection.
Bunions
A bunion is a bony bump on the side of your foot. It happens when the bones inside your big toe don’t line up like they should. Your big toe slants toward your other toes. The base of the big toe, where the joint is, sticks out to the side. Sometimes, a bunion forms on the other side of the foot at the base of the pinky toe. Doctors may call these smaller bumps bunionettes or “tailor’s bunions.”
Bunions often start small and get bigger and more painful over time. They’ll get worse if you wear shoes that are too tight. They can get red and swollen. You might also feel a burning sensation or numbness. Bunions sometimes run in families. They also may affect people with other joint conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis.
Most of the time, you can treat bunions with better-fitting shoes, bunion pads, or shoe inserts (orthotics). You can ice your foot to reduce swelling and take over-the-counter pain relievers. If none of this helps, you might need surgery to realign your toes.
Bursitis
Bursae are fluid-filled sacs that help cushion your joints. When these sacs get irritated, painful, and swollen, doctors call it bursitis This can affect any joint, including the ones in your toes. Sometimes, a bunion can lead to bursitis.
You can take over-the-counter pain relievers to ease the soreness and ice your foot to reduce swelling. If that doesn’t work, the doctor may give you a cortisone shot to help ease inflammation and pain. If your bursitis doesn’t get better, you may need surgery.
Ganglion Cysts
This fluid-filled bump forms beneath your skin on or near a joint or tendon. On your foot, you may notice it near your ankle or toes. A ganglion cyst (also called a bible cyst) can happen if you have a tear in the tissue covering a tendon or joint. Pain and swelling can get worse when the joint near the cyst is moved. You or your doctor can treat a ganglion cyst with:
- Anti-inflammatory medicine to ease swelling and pain
- Splints or braces to prevent the joint near the cyst from moving
- A needle to drain fluid from the cyst
If these treatments don't work, your doctor could suggest surgery to remove the cyst, called a ganglionectomy. It's an outpatient surgery, so you should be able to go home the same day. You should fully heal from surgery in about two to six weeks.
Warts
There are many types of warts, but flat warts tend to appear on the top of your feet. These skin-colored warts are small, flat, and smooth compared to other warts and usually form in groups. The human papillomavirus (HPV) causes flat warts. You probably won't need treatment, but flat warts can take a while to heal — sometimes months or years.
Sebaceous Cyst
A sebaceous cyst is a lump filled with fluid that appears under your skin. In most cases, this type of cyst isn't filled with sebum, as the name suggests, but rather a keratin substance. A sebaceous cyst causes a discolored bump on your skin.
You probably won't have any symptoms, but if the cyst begins to swell or becomes infected, removal includes:
- Cutting open the cyst and draining the fluid from it
- Surgery to remove the cyst
Avoid popping or draining the cyst without a doctor's help. You could get an infection, and the cyst will probably grow back.
Corns
These calluses usually result from friction between your toe and an ill-fitting shoe. As you walk, your toes push up against the shoe and put pressure on your skin. The surface of your skin thickens and irritates the tissue underneath. Hard corns form on your toes. Soft corns form between your toes as they rub together; they look like open sores.
A doctor can trim thickened skin or use medicine to remove your corn. Shoe inserts (orthotics) can also help. It’s rare, but if a misaligned bone is causing your corns, you might need surgery to fix it.
Bone Spurs
As you get older or if you have osteoarthritis, the cartilage in your toe joints can break down, and a bony deposit can form in its place. This extra bone or bone spur often makes a bump at the base of your big toe. Your doctor will call this condition hallux rigidus. Your toe could get stiff, swell, and hurt when you push off to take a step.
If over-the-counter medications and ice don’t ease your pain and swelling, the doctor can give you a cortisone shot. They might also suggest a contrast bath, where you soak your foot for 30 seconds in water as cold as you can stand, followed by 30 minutes in water as hot as you can handle. You should switch to shoes with a wide toe box, or your doctor might give you a special boot to wear.
If your foot doesn’t get better, there are three types of surgery for bone spurs:
- Cheilectomy: This treats mild damage by removing the spur and part of your foot bone to give your toe more room to bend.
- Arthrodesis: It involves fusing the bones together. It is done for more severe damage.
- Arthroplasty: This replaces your toe joint completely.
Gout Tophi
Gout is a kind of inflammatory arthritis. It happens when uric acid builds up and forms crystals that collect in your joints and cause pain. Gout can affect any joint, but your big toe is the most common place for a flare. Sometimes, the uric acid crystals form visible bumps in joints. Doctors call these gout tophi. This usually happens to people who’ve had gout for some time. It’s rare, but if a tophus remains inflamed despite long-term treatment to lower your uric acid levels, a surgeon can remove it.
Lipoma
These soft, spongy lumps form beneath your skin and can range from the size of a pea to a few centimeters across. While they can appear anywhere on your body, a lipoma on your foot is uncommon. They're usually not painful, but consult your doctor if you have pain or other symptoms. They may suggest surgically removing the mass.
Rheumatoid Nodules
People with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) sometimes get rheumatoid nodules on their joints. These bumps usually show up on your fingers and knuckles, elbows, knees, and the backs of your heels. They can be firm or squishy. They vary from pea- to walnut-sized. The nodules usually don’t hurt, but it can seem that way if the joint they’re near gets sore during an RA flare. It isn’t clear what causes them, but they’re more likely to affect people who’ve had rheumatoid arthritis for a long time.
You don’t need to treat most nodules. But if they hurt or grow around a nerve, your doctor may give you a steroid shot or do surgery to remove the nodule.
When to See a Doctor About a Bump on the Top of Your Foot
Certain signs, symptoms, and other medical conditions can call for a visit to your doctor if you have a bump on your foot. See your doctor if:
- You live with diabetes, which may prevent you from feeling pain in your feet due to poor blood flow in this area.
- You have a health problem that raises your chances of infection or causes your skin to be delicate.
- Treatment doesn't heal the bump.
- You have lingering or worsening pain.
- You have redness, pain, swelling, or fluid coming out of the bump, which could indicate an infection.
- Your bone structure or alignment causes the bump to return.
- You have pain that prevents you from walking properly.
Takeaways
A bump on the top of your foot can happen due to injuries, blisters, bunions, cysts, corns, or medical conditions such as gout or rheumatoid arthritis. These bumps may cause pain or discomfort, especially when walking. Treatment depends on the cause and might include home remedies such as ice, proper footwear, or over-the-counter medications. More serious cases may need medical attention, such as draining, steroid injections, or surgery. See a doctor if the bump doesn’t heal, becomes painful, infected, or interferes with walking, particularly if you have diabetes or other conditions that raise your chances of further health problems.
Bumps on the Top of the Foot FAQs
Can a bump on the top of your foot be cancer?
While unlikely, it's possible that a bump on the top of your foot could be cancer. Signs of skin cancer (melanoma) include:
- A new bump at the site of a previous foot injury
- A bump that grows quickly
- A sore that won't heal or returns
Are bumps on the tops of feet contagious?
Yes, some bumps, such as warts, can spread from person to person. If someone has a wart, avoid touching the area.