If you have ever suffered from a bunion or a bunionette, you understand perfectly how painful they can be.
Bunions occur so ofter that they are amongst the most frequent causes of pain in our toes.
Table of Contents
What is a bunion and what causes it?
A bunion is a skeletal bulge that develops on the joint by the base of the big toe. This misalignment in the bones of the foot causes the bunion to start growing when it pushes on the toe next to it. The medical name for a bunion is “hallux valgus deformity.”
What is a bunionette (a.k.a. tailor’s bunion)?
A bunionette is a similar ailment, but instead of the big toe affected, a bunionette is related to the base of the little toe. Bunionettes are sometimes referred to as “tailor’s bunion,” this is due to tailors continually getting bunions on their little toes since they would sit cross-legged for many hours during the day and the outer sides of their feet would rub on the floor causing the bunionette to form.
Who gets bunions and bunionettes more often: men or women, young or old? Over 50% of all American women have had or currently, have bunions. Men are affected about 25% of the time. The older we get, the more likely we will have to deal with bunions.
What causes bunions and bunionettes?
Our genes can be the reason we have bunions and bunionettes. Our ancestors had them, and now we also have them. But bunions and bunionettes can also be caused by a misalignment of the foot, using the wrong footwear and arthritis. Since the most common cause of bunions and bunionettes is our shoes, that is also the most straightforward problem to fix. One uncomplicated thought to keep in mind is if the shoes you are wearing are too narrow and force your toes to squish together, stop wearing them no matter how beautiful they look since they will cause you a great deal of foot pain in the future.
What are symptoms of bunions and bunionettes?
The most frequent symptoms of bunions and bunionettes are a bony growth at the base of the big toe or little toe. If you feel pain when wearing shoes that press against that bony growth in either of these locations, then that can be the starting formation of a bunion or bunionette, and you should address it as soon as you can.
How can you prevent bunions and bunionettes?
Wear shoes that fit correctly. Shoes should not squeeze your toes into each other. Pointy shoes or pumps should be used as infrequently as possible.
How to treating bunions and bunionettes?
Properly fitting shoes can help stop a bunion or a bunionette from becoming worse. A bunion pad or bunionette pad can ease the pain for many people, and a shoe stretcher can also be helpful as it will provide just enough space to decrease the pain caused by tight fitting shoes. Shoe inserts can also be helpful since they help distribute your weight equally, so the bony growth doesn’t continually brush against your boot or shoe.