What is bunion? San Francisco Podiatrist explains in this transcript from the educational bunion video series. As a bunion surgeon and podiatrist in San Francisco, one of the most common questions I get is…”What exactly is a bunion?” In this short video, you will learn how a bunion forms, as well as some tips on making sure it […]
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When is bunion removal surgery needed?
Non-surgical treatments of bunions focus on relieving pressure and irritation of the bump at the base of the big toe, but generally will not correct to deformity of the big toe joint. Some of these include various footwear like gelled toe spacers, bunion / toes separators, bunion regulators, bunion splints, and bunion cushions. When someone has bunion pain and would like to have the toe straight again, surgery is the main treatment for bunions since it is a fixed bony deformity.
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Some bunions can be managed without surgery, and foot specialists emphasize that prevention is always best. To minimize the chance of developing a bunion, choose shoes that have square/flared toe ends. Shoes, which are short, tight, or sharply pointed must be avoided. No other primate suffers from bunions as homo sapiens is the only species that wears shoes.
View Details »When you suspect you have a bunion, your doctor will begin by taking a history of your condition to make she he has the full story. A physical exam will also be performed to determine the condition of the big toe joint, note any associated deformities, and evaluate the biomechanics of your foot. Xrays are […]
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Do Shoes Cause Bunions?
As a foot surgeon, one the most frequent questions I get is “Do shoes really cause bunions?” The fact is shoes do not cause bunions; genetics cause bunions. If you have bunions you likely inherited them from your mother, father or grandparents. If you take a close look at the feet at a family gathering you can likely figure out who gifted you with the genes that led to your bunions.
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A bunion is a nothing more than a bump or enlargement of the bone and joint at the base of the big toe. This joint is called the first metatarsophalangealjoint (MPJ). A bunion forms when the joint becomes misaligned and the bone or soft tissues at the big toe joint start to move out of place. What happens is that the big toe starts to bend over toward the other toes. This causes the bone to stick out. The soft tissues that are covering that bone then becomes irritated red and inflamed. This causes a painful knot of bone. Because this joint carries the majority of the body´s weight while walking, bunions can become extremely painful. Eventually the big toe joint itself may become arthritic, stiff and sore. This can make walking and fitting into shoes extremely difficult.
View DetailsThinking about surgery, whether bunion surgery or brain surgery, can be a potentially stressful and serious decision. It is obviously important that you, as a patient considering surgery, make the right decision. If you know which questions to ask, you should have no trouble finding a well qualified foot surgeon who can remove the bunion, […]
View Details »Bunions are a progressive deformity. This means that they will typically get worse over time. It is true that the foot becomes more unstable as the bunion gets bigger. This means that it will often get worse at faster rate over the years. Having said that, it is unpredictable as to just how fast the […]
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