Bunion

What is a Bunion?

A bunion refers to a deformity of the big toe that points at a sideways angle towards your second toe. Moreover, one can also sense a characteristic bump on the inner side of their foot.

The pain develops as the bunion starts becoming more prominent The medical term used by doctors for a foot bunion is known as hallux valgus.

What Causes a Bunion?

Bunions are caused due to the occurrence of complex biomechanical changes in your feet.

The occurrence of bunions also depends on the type of footwear that you wear. According to research, foot bunions take place in about 30% of the population of most Western countries; however, only 3% in Eastern countries. They are seen mostly in women and become common as people age. 

The main reason for a foot bunion is tight-fitting shoes. High heels or shoes with tight toe boxes, such as fashion shoes and cowboy boots, are particularly the cause of toe damage. This is primarily because these shoes consist of a sloping footbed and a narrow toe box.

The slope of a shoe leads the front of the foot to bear your weight, which widens your forefoot. Furthermore, the angle pushes the toes into the narrow toe box- leading them to become angled and squeezed together.

Due to prolonged wearing of constraining footwear, your toes start adapting to the new position and lead to the deformity known as a foot bunion.

However, footwear is not the only cause of the occurrence of a bunion. Foot Injuries can also be a factor in the development of a bunion. Poor foot arch control, which causes flat feet or foot overpronation, can make you biomechanically susceptible to foot bunions.

If you have a family history of bunions, there are greater chances of you developing bunions.

Many individuals who experience bunions have a combination of factors that make them susceptible to this condition.

For example, women over the age of forty who have a family history of bunions and often wear high-heeled shoes are more likely to develop a foot bunion.

Bunion Treatment

We at Boyner Clinic have the best bunion doctor in New Delhi that offers effective treatment for bunions:

PHASE I – Pain Relief- Minimise Swelling & Injury Protection.

Pain is the primary reason for seeking treatment for a bunion. Analgesics may help.

The best treatment for inflammation is ice therapy and techniques or exercises that help in de-loading the inflamed structures. Anti-inflammatory medications may help.

The physiotherapist will use numerous treatment tools to give you relief from pain and inflammation, which include ice, acupuncture, de-loading taping techniques, electrotherapy, soft tissue massage and orthotics.

PHASE II – Restoring Normal ROM & Posture

As the pain and inflammation settle down, the specialist now turns their attention towards reinstating your toe and foot joint range of muscle length & motion.

The treatment offered by our specialists includes joint mobilisation & alignment techniques, taping, massage, a bunion splint, and muscle & joint stretches. Our physiotherapists ensure utilising the techniques that will work best for you and ease your pain.

PHASE III – Restore Normal Muscle Control & Strength

The next step involves restoring your muscle control and strength. Your foot posture muscles play an important role in correcting the biomechanics, which leads to the deterioration of your bunion. Our physiotherapist will start by assessing your foot posture muscles and prescribe the best exercises as per your condition and needs. 

We at Boyner Clinic have developed a Foot Posture Correction Program to assist people with bunions to restore their normal foot posture.

PHASE IV – Restoring Full Function

This stage of your rehabilitation is aimed at assisting you to return to your daily life and desired activities. As every individual has different demands for their feet that determine the specific treatment goals they wish to achieve, we craft our treatment accordingly. For some, it is simply to walk around the block, others may wish to run a marathon or return to a labour-intensive activity.

We at Boyner Clinic have the best bunion doctor in New Delhi that offers effective treatment for bunions and will tailor your rehabilitation to help you achieve your own functional goals.

PHASE V – Preventing a Recurrence

Bunions will deform further with no attention. In addition to this, the bunion pain does have a tendency to return, and the main reason behind this is your foot biomechanics.

Apart from your muscle control, the specialist assesses your foot biomechanics. Based on the assessment, they may recommend either temporary off-the-shelf orthotics (arch supports)  or refer you to a podiatrist for custom made orthotics. In this case, you should avoid wearing shoes with tight or angular toe boxes or high heel shoes.

Bunion Surgery

This type of surgery is only required in cases where the bunion deformity is too advanced for conservative treatment to work. It involves cutting an angular section from the bone to correct the alignment. Some scenarios may require multiple toes to be straightened.

Bunion Night Splints

Bunion Night Splints are considered a good treatment option for stretching and re-aligning the joint of your toe.

Contact our doctors to receive the best treatment for bunions.