What is an Bunion?

A bunion is a boney protrusion that can form on the inside of the big toe joint. This occurs as the big toe drifts away from its normal joint alignment towards the second toe. This can make walking painful as the bunion rubs in shoes.

Causes and Symptoms

Bunions can develop overtime as a result of improper shoe gear, genetic/familial predisposition, and biomechanical imbalances in the lower extremity.

Treatment

Mild bunion deformities can be treated conservatively. This can include shoe gear modification and/or orthotics to help realign the foot to prevent progression. In cases that do not respond to conservative measures, surgery is often warranted. Surgery involves shaving the bunion bump and making a cut in the bone to realign the joint. Small implants such as screws/plates are used to hold the surgical correction in place. Surgery is usually performed on an outpatient basis allowing patients to return home the same day. Often the patient is placed in a cast boot until the surgical site is fully healed at which point the patient may return to normal shoe gear as tolerated.