Health Tips

Battling Bunion

Image Credit: Silipos 

Do you often wear high heels or tight-fitted shoes? You may be at risk of having a bunion! A bunion is the most common foot deformity and usually occurs in women. 1 out of 3 people over the age of 65 have some degree of a bunion. 

What is a bunion? 

Image Credit: InformedHealth.org 

As we grow older, the big toe starts leaning slightly towards your other toes, resulting in a bunion, a painful bulging bump appearing at the base of the big toe. Bunions (also known as hallux valgus) occur when there is a misalignment of the first metatarsal (the long bone that runs from mid-foot to the big toe). If you have bunions, it may cause pain while walking and thickened skin or calluses due to friction between your toes or with your shoes. 

Who is at high risk of getting a bunion? 

• Hereditary: People with flat feet or weak connective tissues (short Achilles tendon, short calf muscle) 

• Shoe wear: Often wearing ill-fitting shoes (too tight, too narrow or pointed toes), high heels

• Joint disease: Having rheumatoid arthritis 

• Other possible causes: standing for long periods, foot injuries  

Complications of bunion include: 

• Foot deformity or medical conditions such as arthritis 

• Bursitis: occurs when small fluid filled pads (bursae) cushioning your bones, tendons and muscles close to your joints become inflamed 

• Hammertoe: pain and pressure resulting from irregular bend in the middle joint of a toe, typically the toe adjacent to your big toe 

• Metatarsalgia: condition where the ball of your foot ache and swell 

Is surgical treatment for bunions necessary? 

Generally, bunions do not require any form of surgery. Bunions may get larger over time, but doctors will not recommend surgery to prevent bunions from worsening. To slow the progression of a bunion, it is advisable for people to practice proper foot care (read below for tips to prevent bunions!). 

However, potential candidates for bunion surgery include experiencing: 

1. Significant foot pain prevents a person from walking or wearing appropriate footwear. Even while wearing sports shoes, they might struggle to walk more than a few blocks without excruciating discomfort. 

2. Chronic big toe swelling and inflammation that does not improve with rest or medicine 

3. Toe deformity is when the big toe drifts inward toward the smaller toes, potentially causing the toes to cross over one another. 

The goals of most bunion surgeries are to realign the metatarsophalangeal joint at the base of the big toe, relieve pain and correct the bone deformity making up the toe and foot. 

Types of surgery for bunions: 

1. Repairing the Tendons and Ligaments Around the Big Toe 

2. Osteotomy 

3. Arthrodesis

4. Exostectomy

5. Resection Arthroplasty

Similarly with any surgical procedure, there are definitely risks involved with bunion surgery. Possible risks and complications include infection, nerve injury, failure to relieve pain, failure for bone to fully recover, stiffness of the big toe joint, recurrence of the bunion. Although they are uncommon and typically manageable, they might prevent or delay your entire recovery. Your surgeon will go over all of the risks with you before the procedure and take particular precautions to prevent complications. You may be required to visit your doctor regularly for several months to ensure your foot heals properly. 

Simple Home Remedies 

Prevention is better than cure! Here are some tips to prevent getting bunions or provide some relief for your symptoms if you do have one! 

1. Do toe spacers help? Toe spacers are not a definite cure for bunions, but they are usually worn inside your shoes to help reposition your toe in better alignment. 

2. It is advisable to wear comfortable flat shoes for ample breathing space for your toes and ball of the foot. 

3. Walking barefoot can strengthen your feet’s muscles and maintain their natural alignment. 

4. Some medical professionals recommend using orthopedic shoe inserts (insoles) to support the arch and keep your foot correctly aligned. You can use over-the-counter orthotics in the pharmacy or custom- molded shoes produced with a prescription.

5. Maintaining a healthy weight prevents your body from putting extra pressure on your feet while walking. The likelihood of developing bunion increases with increased force placed on the toe joint. 

6. Pampering your feet is also a great solution to prevent bunion! Try a foot bath by soaking your feet in warm water with Epsom salt when your feet feel fatigued or sore. You can also apply moisturizer on your feet to prevent dryness or have a foot massage. Rest your feet and take a break after a long day! 

7. Oral or topical anti-inflammatory medications may be prescribed by your podiatrist or dispensed by your pharmacist to help relieve pain and inflammation of the bunion. If your bunions are very inflamed, a small steroid infection into the bunion can provide relief of symptoms. 

Bunions usually do not require any medical treatment. If you experience persistent big toe or foot pain, noticeable bump near the big toe joint or decreased mobility, difficulty finding suitably fit shoes because of a bunion, feel free to contact one of our DOC2US doctors, or visit a podiatrist or orthopedic foot specialist. 

Medically reviewed by Nur Ariffin, MBBS UniSZA

Reference: 

1. Healthline. How to Get Rid of Bunions. Accessed on 11 July 2022. https://www.healthline.com/health/how-to-get-rid-of-bunions#prevention 

2. Mayo Clinic. Bunions. Accessed on 11 July 2022. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/bunions/symptoms-causes/syc-20354799 

3. National Library of Medicine (NIH). Bunions: Overview. Accessed on 11 July 2022. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK513134/ 

4. Orthoinfo. Bunion Surgery. Accessed on 11 July 2022. https://orthoinfo.aaos.org/en/treatment/bunion-surgery/ 

Written By

DOC2US Editorial Team

Reviewed By

Doc2us Medical Board