Bunions and Hammertoes

Bunions
Bunions are usually described as a bump on the side of the big toe. Bunions are misaligned big toe joints that can become swollen and tender, causing the first joint of the big toe to slant outward, and the second joint to angle toward the other toes. Bunions tend to be hereditary, but can be aggravated by shoes that are too narrow in the forefoot and toe. Surgery by a podiatric physician is frequently recommended to correct the problem.

Why do you have a bunion?
Bunions are an inherited deformity. Certain foot types are inherited by your parents to make you more likely to develop a bunion. Ill fitting shoes can make bunions more painful and inflamed but they are not the cause of bunions. Bunions are known as progressive disorders, they can get worse with time and ill fitting shoes.

Treatment
If a bunion becomes painful, the first steps are to change shoe wear, modify activities and consider orthotics. Additional conservative treatments may include icing, oral medications, injections, and physical therapy. When these measures do not elevate the pain surgery is necessary. There are many types of bunion surgery based on X-rays, clinical presentation, your age and activity level. You will need to discus this with your podiatrist.

Hammertoes
Hammertoe is a deformity of the second, third, fourth or fifth toes. In this condition, the toe is bent at the middle joint, resembling a hammer. Left untreated, hammertoes can become inflexible and require surgery. People with hammertoe may have corns or calluses on the top of the middle joint of the toe or on the tip of the toe. They may also feel pain in their toes or feet and have difficulty finding comfortable shoes.
Causes of hammertoe include improperly fitting shoes and muscle imbalance. Certain types of hammertoes are inherited.

Treatment
Treatment of hammertoes includes shoe modifications and removal of the “corns” they cause. When pain still persists one should consider surgical correction of this deformity.

NOTE: “Corns” are not a skin problem they come from an underlying BONE problem.