Bunion Care Tips

Do you like to wear high heels and/or pointy-toed shoes? Maybe you like to take part in an activity that puts extra stress on your big toe joint. Or perhaps you have a genetic predisposition to having a bony growth at the side of your foot. Whatever the cause, a bunion can develop at many different stages of life and can cause both pain and discomfort.

When a bunion forms, the bone connected to the big toe begins to protrude outward (away from the other toes), which then pushes the big toe toward the smaller toes. For some, it’s a shift of the bones, while other times, it is a bony mass that develops on the big toe joint. This can lead to pain when you put pressure or weight on the feet. Your feet can also become deformed, eventually preventing you from being able to fit into some of your favorite shoes.

So if you find that you have bunions developing, it’s best not to leave them untreated. Otherwise, hammertoes, corns, and calluses can develop on the other toes. They can also get worse. The following are tips for treating bunions for pain relief and to prevent them from getting worse very quickly.

To slow progression and find relief:

• Bunion pads help to reduce pain by direct pressure from your shoes. Tight shoes can make bunion inflammation worse.
• In the same vein, purchase shoes that have a wider toebox so that your toes are not crowded.
• Bunion toe separators can brace your toes to point forward, which can be helpful in slowing the deformity of your big toe. They can also be worn while sleeping to keep the toes in a forward direction.
• Custom orthotics can also help to support your feet so that less pressure is placed on the big toe joint.
• Some exercises can be done with an elastic band wrapped around the big toes so that they are pulling the other in a forward direction.

To actually correct a bunion:

• The only way to actually correct a bunion is to get surgery to fix the deformity. The bones are set and any extraneous bony growth can be removed. This procedure can be performed in an outpatient setting and the patient can usually go home the same day. After several days, patients can start walking on the foot.

If you have been feeling worsening pain due to a bunion, and the tips above have not helped you find relief, surgery may be a necessary procedure for you. Consult with us today! Make an appointment at Alamitos-Seal Beach Podiatry Group to get an assessment. One of our board-certified podiatrists, Dr. Douglas H. Richie, Dr. Jeremy L. Cook, Dr. Faye E. Izadi can check your feet at either of our Seal Beach, CA and Los Alamitos, CA offices in Orange County. Also, don’t forget to try some of our tips for a making a healthier home for your feet!