- Ensuring there is minimal pressure from your footwear. This is a critical piece so that your bunions do not look red and angry after you take your shoes off. Properly fitting footwear goes a long way to ensure your bunion does not flare up.
- Using custom orthotics to reduce the amount you roll off the inside of your toe. The orthotic will reduce load on the big toe joint and reduce pressure and friction in that area.
- Creating better (passive) alignment in the big toe with spacers and splints. Toe spacers (custom and over-the-counter) will help reduce any pinching of the big toe joint. Often this means better daily comfort.
Battling Bunions? We Can Help.
Every day, we hear, “What can I do about my bunions?” The answer is quite a lot!
What is a Bunion?
A bunion is a painful bony bump that develops on the inside of the foot at the big toe joint or sometimes on the outside of the foot on the small toe (bunionette). Bunions are usually accompanied by hallux valgus, a condition where the big toe drifts inwards towards the smaller ones.
Symptoms
Redness, swelling and soreness around a bulging bump by the joint at the base of your big toe. You may also notice a lack of mobility in your big toe and corns or calluses between the big toe and the sampler toe beside it from rubbing against each other.
How We Can Help
While conservative treatment is not meant to “fix” a bunion, we can help by slowing the progression of the bunion’s size and decreasing or eliminating the daily pain you are experiencing. There are three important areas we can assist with:
When Is the Right Time to See a Foot Surgeon for Your Bunion?
Surgery should be a last resort when considering what to do about your bunions. However, with that said, if you’ve tried all of the conservative treatments and you’re still experiencing significant discomfort, asking your family doctor for a referral may be an option.