Hi ya'll, I am a 49 year old woman from Kentucky recently diagnosed with plantar fibromatosis. I have been reading as much as I can on this site and trying to absorb what is going on with me and my foot. I had a bump come up around January of this year, went to a podiatrist and he told me it probably was a fibromatosis and it was no big deal. He said I had probably torn my fascia at some point and this was just my body overhealing itself. He advised me to have inserts made for my shoes and scheduled me for an mri. When the mri came back to him, he told me it was pretty big and that it must have been there for a long time and I just hadn't noticed it. Within a couple of weeks, I grew another one. So he has injected them both with cortisone (which was incredibly painful) and now he is talking about me having them removed. I am reading on here that surgery isn't a good option, but it is the only one he is offering me at this point. Also, I am confused about how this is an injury overhealing. What I understand from reading on here it is genetic, but nobody in my family has this. The original lump has grown from m&m sized to peach pit size in the past 4 months, the other one is still smallish by comparison...maybe a jelly bean size. My friends and family are telling me to get another opinion about these things, but I really don't know what to do. I know that some of you have been dealing with this for a long time, and some of you seem to really be suffering a lot with it. I understand that everyone is different with this but I would like to know how big these things will get and any advice on how to get rid of them. Thanks for taking your time to read this and I appreciate any response.

cindy:

---

Hi ya'll, I am a 49 year old woman from Kentucky recently diagnosed with plantar fibromatosis. I have been reading as much as I can on this site and trying to absorb what is going on with me and my foot. I had a bump come up around January of this year, went to a podiatrist and he told me it probably was a fibromatosis and it was no big deal. He said I had probably torn my fascia at some point and this was just my body overhealing itself. He advised me to have inserts made for my shoes and scheduled me for an mri. When the mri came back to him, he told me it was pretty big and that it must have been there for a long time and I just hadn't noticed it. Within a couple of weeks, I grew another one. So he has injected them both with cortisone (which was incredibly painful) and now he is talking about me having them removed. I am reading on here that surgery isn't a good option, but it is the only one he is offering me at this point. Also, I am confused about how this is an injury overhealing. What I understand from reading on here it is genetic, but nobody in my family has this. The original lump has grown from m&m sized to peach pit size in the past 4 months, the other one is still smallish by comparison...maybe a jelly bean size. My friends and family are telling me to get another opinion about these things, but I really don't know what to do. I know that some of you have been dealing with this for a long time, and some of you seem to really be suffering a lot with it. I understand that everyone is different with this but I would like to know how big these things will get and any advice on how to get rid of them. Thanks for taking your time to read this and I appreciate any response.

Crano:

---

I am from Ky also, And I am looking for a Dr. that knows how to treat this!
From what I understand radiation is the treatment, not surgery!
Have you called U of K or U of L? On my list, just haven't called yet?
Good luck, it sounds like yours is really active right now!
Mine started in my left foot with a small lump, shortly after that I felt another one close to the first one. My Dr.
Said I needed inserts $400.00, and I can't wear them! I have had them done twice and I can't wear them! Any insole that is hard hurts them and makes it worse. He also prescribed verapamil 15% gel from a compounding pharmacy, rub it in twice a day. I think this has helped? Maybe not to get so large? Now my right foot has two lumps?
I don't know what makes them flare and get active? I wish I did and I would stop whatever it was!
My hand both are hurting and I'm afraid that it's starting in my hands? My Dad and my GrandDad has this!
I m thinking of going to Germany for treatment if I can't find anything here?
Good luck!

Surgery should be your "last choice" for plantar fibromatosis...I have Dupuytrens in both hands and LD in my left foot. I opted to have radiation treatments in November 2009 for my left hand and left foot. Best thing I ever did. My nodules on my foot were hard and the size of large marbles. After radiation the nodules are almost gone. There has been no progression in the areas radiated.

Edited 04/07/11 03:08

@ Cindy and Crano,

I had a podiatrist say to try Super Feet brand inserts first, and if needed, can always get the $400 ones made especially for you. My friend uses Super Feet and I use them, too, for an arthritic big toe. They help somehow in aligning my feet to take pressure off my big toe.
Neither my friend nor I have Ledderhose's but the idea of inserts would be the same, I think. I use the black or light blue ones because they go in without taking out the existing liner because they are thinner. I move them from one pair of shoes to another. You have to remove the liner that comes in the shoes if you use the thick ones. Super Feet are stiff, so they may not work for you. How about the gel ones?
Just a thought. Might not work.