What is a Bunion?
A bunion is a bony swelling at the base of the big toe. The medical name for a bunion is hallux valgus. Sometimes, the big toe can become angled inwards, towards the middle of the foot and the second toe.
This can force the top of the first metatarsal to protrude (stick out) from the side of the foot, at the base of the big toe. If this happens, a painful, swollen bunion forms.
What causes a Bunion?
If other members of your family have bunions, you are more likely to develop them yourself. This is because the bend of your big toe that causes bunions tends to run in families. In many cases, bunions may develop as a result of wearing shoes that do not fit properly.
Women get bunions more often than men from wearing tight, pointed or high-heeled shoes. High heels push most of your body weight on to the front of your foot, placing a great strain on your toe joints. If your shoes are too tight they rub against your big toe joint. Continuing to wear badly fitting shoes will make your bunions worse.
How can we help?
You may only need to have treatment for a bunion if it is causing you pain or discomfort. It is advisable for anyone with a bunion to wear flat or low-heeled, wide-fitting shoes. You may also find that shoes with laces or straps are preferable to slip-on shoes because they can be adjusted to fit.
You can also use an ice pack or cold compress to numb pain and reduce swelling.
Orthotics can slow or halt the progression of bunions by addressing the instability which causes the deformity, often providing complete symptomatic relief. However orthotics cannot reduce the pre-existing bony deformity.
In more serious cases the Podiatrist may refer you for Surgery.
