What are Bunions?
Bunions can be seen as a "bump" at the base of the big toe. While this is visual evidence of a bunion, they are actually caused higher up in your mid-foot by an unstable joint. The unstable joint lets the bone drift out of alignment, causing the bump.
What are some Causes?
Bunions are most commonly caused by hereditary defects in the foot and tend to run in families. Also, any changes in weight or structure can cause foot bones and joints to alter as they work to keep our bodies balanced. Life experiences like childbearing or having our feet expand as we age can begin to cause bunions.
Poor shoes are not the cause of Bunions, however, shoes can aggravate them.
What are the Symptoms?
- A bump on side or top of foot
- Pain
- Swelling
- Pressure
- Numbness
Without surgical treatment, more severe symptoms can occur:
- Arthritis
- Calluses
- Toes cross over
- Hammertoes
- Bone spurs
- Ball of foot pain
Treatment Options
Conservative treatment options can help to manage pain within the early stages of the bunion development, however, symptoms will continue to worsen until surgery corrects the root cause of the bunion.
Some of these conservative treatment options include: Toe spacers, Pads, Splints, Inserts, Orthotics.
Surgical Treatments
Surgical procedures for bunions can be done as single procedures or in combination. They might involve:
- Removing the swollen tissue from around your big toe joint
- Straightening your big toe by removing part of the bone
- Realigning one or more bones in the forefoot to a more normal position to correct the abnormal angle in your big toe joint
- Joining the bones of your affected joint permanently
What is Lapiplasty?
Lapiplasty 3D Bunion Correction is a new surgical technology which corrects the unstable joint and root cause of bunions while also realigning the bones in the foot.
