Bunion

What is a bunion?

A bunion (hallux valgus) is a foot deformity that causes a protruding bump on the side of your big toe. Bunions develop gradually in the joint at the base of your big toe. 

Excessive pressure pushes the top of your toe inward (toward your other toes) and simultaneously forces the joint to move outward, creating a visible bump. Without treatment, bunions keep getting larger and more painful.

What causes a bunion?

In most cases, bunions develop as a result of several possible issues. For example, you may inherit a tendency to develop a bunion.

You could also have structural issues like a short metatarsal bone (the bone behind the toe), atypical foot mechanics, a loose joint, or another deformity that puts extra pressure on the joint.

Wearing tight shoes or high heels may not cause a bunion, but your footwear can make bunions develop more rapidly and lead to joint degeneration.

What are the symptoms of a bunion?

In addition to a bump on the side of your big toe, you may have:

• Pain and tenderness
• Inflammation and redness
• Calluses or corns (around the bump)
• Limited toe movement
• Burning sensation or numbness
• Pain that’s worse when walking or standing

As the bunion enlarges, you’ll have a hard time finding comfortably fitting shoes.

How are bunions treated?

Wearing wide shoes, changing your activities, or using customized orthotics may relieve your pain. However, these treatments won’t improve the bunion and a bunion doesn’t heal on its own. There’s only one curative treatment: minimally invasive surgery.

How does surgery improve a bunion?

In addition to repairing the bunion, your provider also identifies and repairs other structural conditions contributing to bunion formation.

The team at Forward Foot & Ankle Associates typically performs outpatient bunion surgery, recommending one of several possible approaches.

When repairing the joint, your provider cuts the bone, places it in its normal position, and secures it with a screw or pin. In some cases, they may put the bone in position and fuse the joint to create long-lasting results.

Your provider may also need to remove tissues damaged by arthritis or repair stretched or damaged soft tissues, such as tendons and ligaments. 

Call Forward Foot & Ankle Associates or request an appointment online today to get help for a painful bunion.

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