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Dr. Tom Biernacki

Dr. Tomasz Biernacki Podiatrist
  • We focus on what has worked for 10,000+ patients & medical research.
  • The #1 goal is to keep costs LOW and treatment SIMPLE.
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Outside of the Foot Pain [Lateral Foot Pain]

Bump Or Lump On Side Of Foot [Causes, Symptoms & Best Treatment]

Bump Or Lump On Side Of Foot: The Most common cause of a bump on the middle side of your foot is #1) A Bunionette & #2) A 5th metatarsal styloid process.

Look:

  • We will show you an animated diagnosis & treatment guide, photos, and the best FAST treatment options for your bump or lump on the side of the foot pain.
  • These are Simple & EASY options that we have seen success with.
  • Also included is our outside of the foot pain treatment video guide!

So, Let’s Get STARTED!

Painful Bump on the side of Foot Video:

  • Outside of the foot bumps causes & treatment.

Bumps on the outer side of the foot video summary:

In this video, we go over:

If you have a bump on the outer side of your foot:

  • It can be in 3 regions: the outside of the heel below the ankle bump,  the middle outside of the foot bump, or the bump at the base of the 5th toe.

Hard bump on the side of foot:

  • A hard bump on the side of the foot can be the styloid process or the 5th metatarsal head bunion.

Bump on the outer side of my foot infographic:

The infographic below goes over the most common reasons for a bump on the foot’s outer side.

sprained pinky toe broken pinky toe

Bump on the side of my foot pictures:

If you ever wonder, “what is the bump on the side of my foot?”

Look:

  • If you have a painful bump on the side of the foot, it is usually in 3 different areas.

5th toe bump:

  • If the bump on the outside of your foot is on the fifth toe, this could be a callus and corn or hammertoe.
  • If the bump is at the base of your fifth toe, this is usually called a tailor’s bunion or bunionette.

Bump on the middle outside of the foot:

Bump on the Outside of the Heel or Ankle:

Overview:

  • Near the outside front of your foot, the causes of bumps are most common along the 5th toe, the 5th metatarsal, and the 5th metatarsal styloid process.
  • Near the outside ankle, the bump is most likely the head of your fibula.

Outside of the foot pain

  • The most common cause of lumps or bumps on the outside of your foot is your 5th toe and the 5th metatarsal styloid process.
  • If these bones become injured, swollen, or inflamed, this can cause swelling! Very rarely is it a dangerous tumor!

Red Itchy Bumps on the side of the Foot:

  • If you have red itchy bumps on the side of the foot: This could be eczema or dermatitis secondary due to rubbing or irritation on the outside of the foot.

Causes Of Outside Of The Foot Lump or Bumps:

The outside of the foot is called the rigid lever. This is because it is mostly rigid bone.

  • This makes it very likely to have bumps or lumps.
  • The most common causes are the 5th metatarsal.
  • This is a bone with two ends that can become prominent on the outside of the foot.
Pinky toe and 5th toe pain
The 5th toe is very vulnerable because it is the smallest toe on your foot! It can very easily get pinched in your shoe all day long. This can lead to numbness, burning, and swelling.

Specific Causes:

  • 5th toe can be swollen.
  • 5th toe tailor’s bunion.
  • The 5th metatarsal styloid process is in the middle outside of your foot.
  • The ankle is due to the head of the fibula.

Bump on the middle side of foot:

A foot bump at the outside front of the foot is usually a bunionette.

  • This is also known as a tailor’s bunion.
  • This is exactly like a normal bunion but occurs at the 5th toe, not the big toe.
  • The causes & treatments are almost identical to the big toe bunion.
  • It may be a good idea to get a pair of shoes wider in the front.
  • But the only way to remove the pain permanently is to get surgery eventually.

Symptoms of a Bump at the front outside of the foot:

  • Swelling, redness, and pain.
  • Numbness, burning, or tingling of the little toe.
  • This numbness is due to nerve compression against the shoe.
  • This can lead to pain against the edge of the shoe.
  • Pain is better when you take your shoes off.

The 5th metatarsal Styloid Process (Bump on middle outside of foot):

5th metatarsal styloid process pain
The 5th metatarsal styloid process is usually experienced as pain in the middle outside of your foot. This can cause rubbing against the side of your shoe. Don’t worry. This is not a cancerous tumor!

A foot bump on the middle outside of the foot is the styloid process.

  • If it is painful, this is known as a Jones fracture.
  • This can present as a bump on the middle outside of the foot.
  • If it is just a large bump, this is absolutely normal and nothing to worry about.
  • If it is enormous, you may have an extra bone called an os vesalanium.
  • It is also possible to have a very high arched foot.
  • If you have a very high arch, this is called cavus foot, and the styloid process is very prominent.

Symptoms of a Bump on the middle outside of the foot:

  • Swelling, redness, and pain.
  • Numbness, burning, or tingling of the little toe.
  • This numbness is due to nerve compression against the shoe.
  • This can lead to pain against the edge of the shoe.
  • Pain is better when you take your shoes off.

If you have a Jones fracture or injury to the outside of your foot, consider the following options:

Outside of the Ankle Bump or Lump:

Ankle sprains happen when you roll your foot in:

If you are having pain with a bump on your foot’s middle side, consider styloid process pain.

Bump On Side Of Foot Treatment:

  • Most bumps or lumps on the side of the foot do not need to be treatment.
  • The majority of the time these masses are not tumors but normal part of your anatomy.
  • The most common times we see people come to our office concerned about a tumor or a strange bump, it is simply a normal part of anatomy that looks a little bit bigger on their foot.
  • The most common lumps and bumps I see are the 5th metatarsal and the side of the ankle.

Podiatrist Treatment Algorithm:

If these home treatments did not help, consider seeing a podiatrist!

A) Physical examination:

  • Examining the foot will almost immediately let us know if something unusually is happening to the foot.
  • This can be difficult to do if you don’t look at hundreds of feet every day!
  • Usually we can tell if something is supposed to be there almost immediately.
  • Read the list below to make sure your foot looks normal!

B) X-Ray of your foot:

  • An X-ray can usually be better than advanced imaging for bone assessment.
  • You don’t need to jump straight to an MRI.
  • An X-ray can usually do a great job if there is a foreign object or if there is an extremely large bone prominence.
  • 90% of the time an X-ray is the only imaging you will need.
  • This is something we can get for you while your are in the office.

C)MRI if we suspect a soft tissue tumor or injury:

  • If there is something unusually happening, we may choose to order an MRI.
  • An MRI is ordered within the hospital and is subject to insurance approval, so it can be slow and painful to get for some insurances even if needed.
  • We can do an in office ultrasound, but generally if we are concerned, an MRI would be the choice diagnostic image.
  • The actual need in the real world for an MRI in this case is extremely low.

D) Soft Tissue or Bone Biopsy:

  • If something unusual is visualized on MRI or X-ray, the last step may be to make 100% that it is not something dangerous.
  • If you have more of a cystic mass, this may be done in the office with a needle aspiration.
  • But if you have a true bone tumor or concerning mass/lump/bump, we may need to grab a sample in the operating room.
  • If you do have a true cancerous mass, the best thing to do would be to get a second opinion from an oncology specialist.
  • We don’t take any chances in that case!
  • Follow this link for more on bone and cancerous tumors.

Home Remedies for Bumps on the Outside of the Foot:

The quickest way to make the bumps on the outside of your foot do better is to get yourself a good pair of shoes and orthotics.

Best Shoes for Outside of the Foot Pain:

Shoes can be one of the best ways to improve outside of the foot pain!

 

The best plantar plate tear shoes
If you have outside of the foot pain, click on the above link to see the best shoes for bumps on the outside of the foot!

Best Orthotics for Outside of the Foot Pain:

A good supportive pair of over-the-counter orthotics can effectively reduce swollen bumps on the outside of the foot.

These can be effective for hard, painful bumps and sore bumps on the outside of the foot.

Best Orthotics for overpronation
If you want the best orthotics for bumps on the outside of your foot, click on the above link!

Outside of the Foot Pain Remedies:

Refer to the video at the beginning of this guide for:

  • Outside of the foot pain exercises.
  • Outside of the foot pain massage.
  • The best outside of the foot pain products.

Frequently Asked Questions:

What is the bump on the side of my foot?

The most common bumps on the outside of your foot falling into 3 areas.

  • The ones around the fifth toe are due to a tailors bunion.
  • The most common bump on the outside of your foot in the middle is called the styloid process of the fifth metatarsal.
  • This could also be a soft bump that could be insertional peroneus brevis tendinitis.
  • The middle outside of the foot could be a hard bump that could be a painful swollen fifth metatarsal styloid process.

What are the bumps on the side of my foot near the heel?

  • If you are wondering what the bumps on the side of your foot near the heel are, they are called peizogenic papules.
  • Piezogenic papules are herniations of the fat pad from the heel.
  • These could be white bumps on the outside of the heel and on the outside of the heel.
  • Piezogenic papules can be treated with good orthotics such as listed above.
  • This should help with the small white bumps on the outside of your foot.

What are the itchy red bumps on the side of my foot?

  • The most common causes of itchy red bumps on the side of the foot are eczema or dermatitis.
  • Eczema or dermatitis on the side of the foot is usually caused by excessive sweat, irritating sock material, or irritating shoe material.
  • This can also be associated with an athlete’s foot and foot fungus.
  • The solution to itchy bumps on the side of the foot is to make sure the sweat is limited, that the skin is cleansed regularly and that you wear a good supportive shoe such as the ones described above.
  • It might also be a good idea to get a good supportive pair of socks to prevent any skin condition or irritation.
  • This outside of the foot bumps could be red bumps on the side of the foot or itchy bumps on the side of the foot.

What are the small red bumps on the side of the foot?

  • As mentioned above, the small red bumps on the side of the foot can be itchy or not itchy.
  • They are usually due to eczema or dermatitis.
  • That he is to prevent excessive sweat and athlete’s foot buildup.
  • By using a good supportive shoe and a high-quality sock, it would limit these.
  • It may also be a good idea to use an antifungal cream or spray.

What are the small white bumps on the outside of my foot?

  • The small white bumps on the outside of the foot could be due to numerous skin conditions.
  • The most common cause is a painful hard lump called corn. This is scar tissue that forms into the sweat gland.
  • If the bumps are on the outside of the heel below the ankle, this is likely a piezogenic papule. A piezogenic papule is a herniated fat pad.

What are the tiny bumps on the side of the foot under the skin?

These tiny bumps are most likely called corns because they go deep underneath the skin.

These could also be piezogenic papules which are herniated fat papules.

Can I have a fluid-filled bump on the side of my foot?

  • Usually, when people ask, they have a fluid-filled bump on the side of their foot. It is simply bursitis or soft tissue irritation.
  • It is also possible to have a ganglion cyst which is a true fluid pocket.
  • This is a joint fluid that can herniate from the joint.
  • The best solution for this is to see your podiatrist and get evaluated with ultrasound or x-ray.

Outside of the Foot Pain [Lateral Foot Pain]