What Causes Bunions?

One of the common things people will think cause bunions are shoes. Shoes do not cause bunions. They simply tend to aggravate a bunion. Bunions occur due to ones foot type and abnormal forces on the foot. Certain muscles then can tend to overcompensate other muscles and lead to a bunion to form. The bunion is an enlargement at the big toe joint on the side. If the bump tends to be on the top, this is an arthritis type condition known as hallux limitus or rigidus. Women tend to develop more bunions then men and some studies show that its 10 times more frequently in women then men. 

Redness and swelling of the soft tissues at the bunion site can cause a lot of pain and discomfort. A change in shoe gear to a wider toe box, along with ice, and anti-inflammatory drugs such as Motrin and Tylenol can alleviate the bunion.  Orthotics and good shoe gear can help slow the progression of the bunion deformity. If conservative treatment fails the next option may be surgery. For more information please visit our website or call for an appointment

Chad Friedman, DPM
http://www.podiatrycarespecialists.com/