When should you get bunions checked?
Bunions/Hallux Valgus are the bony lumps that form on the side of the feet when the angle of your big toe starts to change. Your big toe starts to point inwards towards the other toes and this can cause a variety of symptoms such as rubbing on the outside of the bone and joint pain in your big toe. It can also cause other foot ankle/or knee pains due to a change in your bio-mechanics/the way you move. Surgery is considered the only effective way to treat this entirely, but there are other things you can do to ease any discomfort. Physiotherapy can also be hugely beneficial in terms of working on some of the possible mechanical or movement dysfunctions it may cause.
What can you do?
Wear wider fitting shoes with a low heel and soft sole. Avoid narrow, pointy shoes and high heels as these will force your foot forward and increase the pressure and the changing angle within the joint.
Use ice/cold packs on the painful area.
Use bunion pads/foam padding over sensitive areas.
Take off the shelf medications or discuss pain management with your GP.
Try to keep to optimum weight as being overweight can exacerbate the issue.
Off the shelf braces/bunion corrective supports.
When to see an expert
If pain from a bunion has not improved after trying home treatments for a few weeks
If the pain is stopping you from doing your daily activities/exercise.
It is getting progressively worse.
If you have Diabetes.
If you are noticing pain in other joints such as your knee or hip or back.
Physiotherapy can often help with this condition as it may enable you to identify other dysfunctional movements that may be adding to the problem. Often a severe bunion will affect your gait pattern which can lead to a knock on effect of other joint pain and may accelerate degenerative change in other joints.
The joint in your big toe can also be affected by degenerative change as a result of the change in the way you distribute weight through it. Some physio techniques can help with this also.
If you are not sure, check with one of the physios here. We may in some cases recommend orthotic review. Our practitioners here are trained in foot scanning and can advise on and order orthotics for you if appropriate.
