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The response to the question below was authored by Marc Mitnick DPM

sore on bottom of foot

by mickel
(nevada)

about 3 or 4 years ago i had stepped on a piece of glass but i still have a sore on the bottom of my foot like i still have a piece of glass in my foot but i am pretty sure i got all the glass out after i stepped on it it is the width of a pencil and sometimes it bleeds when a few layers of skin come off on its own do i still have a piece of glass in my foot or is it infected


ANSWER

Hi Mickel,

There is always the possibility that you still have glass in your foot. Over the years I have had countless patients who have come in to the office telling me that they removed the glass, but their foot still hurts. Guess what? I explore the area and find additional shards of glass.
Usually the glass a person steps on is so small that the force of stepping on it, causes it to break in half, thus leaving a piece in the foot.
If there is no glass in the foot, the other possibility would be that of a granuloma which is basically scar and inflammatory tissue that forms in an area of a foreign body. The fact that the trauma occurred 3-4 years ago makes the granuloma a rare possibility as the body generally re-absorbs them if there is no longer any glass in there.
Another possibility is that of an inclusion cyst, which is a cyst that forms in a traumatic opening of the skin. An inclusion cyst theoretically could still be present 3-4 years down the road.
Furthermore, there is the possibility that you have a wart in the area. Many times when people have an opening in the skin on the bottom of the foot secondary to trauma, a wart virus can lodge itself in the area and be a source of discomfort.
The most likely scenario, however, is that you still have a small piece of glass in the foot which has not allowed the area to completely heal.
For that reason I would recommend you see a podiatrist in your area who will be able examine the sore part of your foot and determine if there is a foreign body still present or if your problem is from the other possibilities I have mentioned.

Marc Mitnick DPM
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ADDITIONAL REFERENCES

Mayo Clinic

Johns Hopkins Medicine

MedlinePlus

Arthritis Foundation

University of Rochester Medical Center

Harvard Health

Drugs.com

American Academy of Pediatrics

Penn State Medical Center

National Institutes of Health

Columbia University Department of Rehabilitation

ScienceDirect

Stanford Health Care

Illinois Bone and Joint Institute

Mount Sinai Hospital

Institute for Chronic Pain

University of Florida Health

American Family Physician

Cedars-Sinai

University of Maryland Medical Center

DISCLAIMER: The purpose of this site is purely informational in nature. It is not intended to diagnose, treat or cure any medical condition. This information is not a substitute for advice from a medical professional. Please consult your healthcare provider for accurate diagnosis and treatment. The information presented here may be subject to errors and omissions.


SITE LAST UPDATED: APRIL 2026




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(location unknown)
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(location unknown)
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(location unknown)
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Unknown location

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Unknown location

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New Zealand

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Arizona
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Poland
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South Carolina
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unknown location


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Arlington, VA


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San Clemente, CA


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Pam

location unknown


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location unknown


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Bre

location unknown


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anonymous



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anonymous



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Poland



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Seattle, WA


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Bonnie

location unknown



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New Jersey



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Debbie

location unknown



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location unknown



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Evansville, IA



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location unknown



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San Diego, CA



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Albany, NY



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location unknown



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Whichita, KS



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Boston, MA



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Colorado



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Colorado

Wonderful advice

by: Anonymous

This is the best site for foot problem info.

Thank you for this information. This description fits my pain and inflammation behind my 2nd toe perfectly.

by: Max

location unknown
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Canada
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location unknown
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Wisconsin
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Julie

location unknown
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North Carolina
Many Thanks Dr Marc!
Thank you for your response. It sounds like a good plan to me. He did not cut the wart out first ...

KG

location unknown

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Bessie Mae

Florida
Dear Dr. Mitnick, Thank you so very much for taking your time to answer my question. You have greatly relieved my anxiety related to the continual tingly I feel in my feet. I will share your response with my podiatrist next week. God bless you for having this question and answer page on your website! Most gratefully,

Lynne T.

location unknown
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New Jersey


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a mom

location unknown


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Lenoir, NC


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Bellevue, WA


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location unknown

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