Bunions: A Common Foot Problem

Did you know that by the age of 50 years, the average person in relatively good health has walked approximately 75,000 miles? With all this activity and stress on the lower extremities, it’s hardly surprising that most people at one time or another experience a foot problem. At the office of Tender Foot Care, we provide skilled and experienced care to treat a comprehensive range of issues affecting the feet and lower extremities.

One of the most common and annoying foot problems seen by our office is a bunion. Most often appearing as an unsightly bump at the base of the big toe, a bunion is, in fact, a deformity of the framework of the foot. It develops when the joint at the base of the toe becomes unstable, causing both the bone and soft tissues to move out of place.

If you suspect that you have developed a bunion, it’s essential to contact our office for care. Although bunions tend to develop slowly over time, left untreated, they become larger and more disfiguring. Well beyond making it increasingly difficult to find shoes that fit and feel comfortable, bunions can lead to other foot problems. Plus, as they alter your foot anatomy and mechanics, bunions can impair balance, reduce mobility, and have an impact on other parts of your body such as the ankles, knees, hips, and back.

As the first step in care, our podiatrist will evaluate your bunion and develop a treatment plan to suit your specific needs.

 Conservative, non-surgical recommendations to improve comfort and function may include:

• Wearing shoes with a wide & deep toe box
• Padding the bunion to minimize discomfort
• Tapping/Splinting the foot into improved alignment
• Therapy to improve flexibility and range of motion
• Medication including non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and cortisone injections to alleviate pain and decrease inflammation
• Orthotic shoe inserts to improve foot function

When conservative approaches to care do not provide sufficient relief, and your bunion is interfering with daily activities, we may recommend performing a surgical procedure. By doing this, we can reduce the bony and soft tissue changes associated with the bunion as well as improve your foot alignment, comfort, and function.

At the office of Tender Foot Care, we're dedicated to providing the highest quality of skilled and compassionate care. For more information on our office and the many services that we provide, give us a call today.

By Tender Foot Care

August 21, 2019