Ledderhose’s disease is an unknown podiatric pathology despite not being so rare. Did you know that it affects men ten times more?
Characterized by the appearance of benign tumors on the sole of the foot, the eLedderhose diseasealso known as plantar fibromatosisit is a pathology that goes unnoticed at a social level despite the frequency with which consultation is sought for it.
At EFEsalut we have Jorge Escoto, podiatrist and member of the board of directors of the Illustrious Official College of Podiatrists of the Valencian Community (ICOPCV) to shed light on the matter.
What is plantar fibromatosis?
To define the pathology, Dr. Escoto talks about a highlight or bony in the plantar area.
“They are lumps that appear on the sole of the foot, in the internal arch, at the level of the big toe”, explains the podiatrist.
Although the expert assures that at first they don’t bother and they are practically imperceptible, the truth is that when they grow up they start to notice themselves. And although we believe that it is the patient’s uncertainty that pushes him to go to the consultation, the truth is that it is not until these lumps they condition the march when he resorts to the opinion of an expert.
What causes it?
Slow growing and in many cases not so obvious, Ledderhose disease is ten times more frequent in men than women Because? What causes it?
Science has not yet been able to answer these questions.
Risk factors
Of course, it is known that there is a series of risk factors that can promote the appearance of these tumors, such as:
- Prolonged immobilization.
- Microtraumatisms.
- diabetes.
- Alcohol and nicotine abuse.
- Liver failure.
- Autoimmune disorders.
To this list, the podiatrist adds the problems of healing and basic problems with the collagen, which can condition the appearance of these lumps. This patient-specific alteration can lead to Ledderhose disease.
And if they diagnose me?
Ledderhose disease, totally benignis detected from a simple physical explorationalthough subsequently a series of tests are carried out to rule out other pathologies.
- exploration: the path of the fascia in the internal part is studied, the nodules are located
- The other foot is also explored, since in 50% of cases it occurs in both.
- ultrasound: to observe the size of the lump or fibroma
- resonance: to rule out the possibility of malignant tumors.
Depending on the way it presents itself, the podiatrist will opt for one treatment or another.
Treatment for Ledderhose disease: It depends on the case
- Serious cases: When the patient’s mobility is limited, surgical intervention may become a solution to consider, although there is a high risk of relapse or reappearance Other forms of treatment are also contemplated such as:
- infiltrations with corticosteroids or with proteolytic enzymes
- Application of shock waves to soften plantar fibroids.
- Mild cases: It will depend on the patient’s situation. Some of the most common advice in this case are:
- stretching
- Made-to-measure plantar orthoses: personalized insoles that favor the distribution of pressures outside the embalum
From ICOPCV it is recommended to go to the podiatrist in case of doubt. Of course, they warn about it intrusion professional and insist that the monitoring of podiatric health must be done by a professional.