A bunion is a bump on the side of the foot caused by a malalignment of the bones in your foot. This causes a protrusion on the inside of the foot where the bone of your big toe connects with the bone in your foot. This causes the big toe to move closer to the second toe, in severe cases, the second toe may overlap the great toe. This malalignment or shifting of the bones causes the joint at the base of your big toe to jut out, creating the protrusion or bump. Bunions can be painful especially with shoe gear as the bump is often squeezed in the shoe.
Bunions are not caused by shoes, but poorly fitting shoe gear can cause pain to your bunion and in some cases make your bunion worse.
Bunions are a result of the shape and structure of your foot, which is inherited. You may be at greater risk of developing bunions if they run in your family. This foot deformity often occurs in people with an inherited foot type that makes them more prone to the development of bunions.
Bunions will get worse with time. Therefore we recommend you seek help from a podiatrist, who is trained in treating conditions of the foot and ankle, as soon as you notice the bump or change in the position of your toes.
An early diagnosis and treatment of bunions may delay the progression of the deformity and the pain it causes.
During the early stages of the development of a bunion, conservative treatment is recommended.
This may include:
When conservative measures no longer provide significant relief from your bunion pain, there are several surgical treatments available depending on the type and severity of the bunion. Minimally invasive surgical techniques will reduce post-surgery pain and recovery time and most patients can walk right after their surgery in a protective shoe. However, full recovery from bunion surgery may take several weeks.
Have you been experiencing bunion pain? It is recommended that you see a podiatrist as soon as possible as bunions tend to get worse with time. Call or book an appointment with the bunion experts at Meridian Podiatry in Jacksonville FL.
