Bunions

There have been some questions about bunions commented on our blog. A brief overview: Bunions are caused by your big toe joints becoming incorrectly aligned. This causes the first joint on your big toe to slant outward and the second joint then angles toward your other toes. Your joints then begin to swell. It causes a bump of bone on the foot that can become very painful if left untreated.


Keep in mind that you can also develop a callus on the bump as it rubs against your shoe, and this can become painful in itself. There a number of ways to treat bunions, both conservatively and surgically. Conservative methods include using a brace or splint to help straighten the toe, and using toe spacers to align the toes against one another. Often a bunion will cause some of your other toes to move out of alignment, and this is why toe spacers help. We recommend a shoe with adequate space to prevent your bunion from rubbing, and also to accommodate any bracing of the toe. Surgical correction of the problem is also an option.