Lump Under the Skin on Top of the Foot

A lump on the top of the foot deserves attention to its movement, relation to footwear, tenderness, and changes in the overlying skin. Shoes and laces can press directly on this area, making a small swelling painful. The lump may arise from skin or tissue beneath it, so a clinician may need to examine both the swelling and foot movement.

A smooth lump that changes with pressure or movement may be related to a cyst or nearby joint or tendon. A red, warm, tender swelling can occur with a boil or inflamed follicle; see [Boils](/conditions/boils/). A hard, fixed, growing, bleeding, or crusted lesion needs assessment. [Skin Lumps](/symptoms/skin-lumps/) provides general guidance, while [Basal Cell Carcinoma](/conditions/basal-cell-carcinoma/) describes one possible changing skin growth; the foot location does not determine a diagnosis.

Wear roomy footwear, loosen laces over the area, and avoid activities that repeatedly press on the lump until it has been assessed. Do not cut, drain, or squeeze it. Keep a note of whether walking, shoe pressure, or ankle movement changes its size or pain. Book a clinical review if it persists, interferes with shoes, grows, or returns. A clinician may discuss [Steroid Injection Into The Skin](/treatments/injectables/intralesional-steroid-injection/) only when the diagnosis and suitability are clear.

Seek prompt care for rapid swelling, increasing heat or redness, pus, fever, or pain that makes walking difficult. Arrange timely review for a fixed or enlarging lump, persistent bleeding, a non-healing crust, numbness, or reduced foot movement. Urgent help is appropriate when severe pain follows an injury or the foot becomes markedly swollen or pale.

Ask whether the lump is in the skin, a tendon, a joint area, or deeper tissue; whether footwear changes are enough; and whether imaging or treatment is needed. Mention injury, new shoes, walking changes, drainage, and any change in sensation.