If the joint connecting your big toe to your foot is swollen, sore or has a bump, you might be dealing with a bunion. It’s an extremely common problem affecting middle to late-aged women sometimes due to flat arches, but can affect kids as well who are active and do ballet, dancing or gymnastics.
This deformity is often attributed to wearing shoes that are narrow and tight, as well as high heels. 90% percent of the time the bunion will occur in women because they are wearing shoes that are too small, especially with a pointed toe. Tight shoes cause a number of other foot problems like calluses, corns and hammertoes.
When it comes to bunions, the base of your big toe will get bigger and stick out. The skin covering the toe will become tender and red. Wearing shoes will become painful because the joint will flex with every step. As the bunion gets larger, the more it will hurt to walk. Bursitis could end up setting in causing even more pain. The big toe might angle toward the second toe or move all the way underneath it. The skin underneath the foot can become painful and thicker. Pressure from the big toe could end up forcing the secondary toe out of alignment. Advanced bunions can make the foot look grotesque. Severe bunions make it difficult to walk. Eventually, arthritis might set in and the pain will become chronic.
Signs and Symptoms: If the big toe gets stiff, you will lose the normal toe-off during gait. Altered gait ( limp and can cause a number of other problems in the lower limb and up the spine.
How to Treat Bunions:
Foot wear: Choose shoes conforming to your feet's shape. Shoes that have wide instep, soft soles and broad toes are ideal. Avoid shoes that are tight, short and pointed sharply, as well as those that have heels higher than 2.25 inches in height. Wear Roomy Shoes.
For those who already have the bunion, make sure to wear shoes that provide ample room to avoid putting pressure on the bunion. By wearing protective pads to protecting the affected area, the cushion will work wonders.
Physical Therapy can all help to minimize the progression of a bunion. At My Wellness Centre we offer Ultrasound with Osteopathy appointments, Physiotherapy with exercises, Sport Massage to help to mobilize the toe and Chinese Acupuncture to relieve the pain or bursitis. These professionals can recommend a right splints that hold your big toe in a straight position. Also wedges can be placed between your toes to keep them straight. This can help reduce the onset of bunions and Orthotics such as Insoles, or orthotic devices can either be off the shelf or made depending on your foot.
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