Interesting Health

Bunions

Bunions are generally located behind the joint of the big toe and the first large metatarsal bone in the forefoot area. This is the area where the foot flexes in the front.

There can be smaller bunions that develop on the foot, at the outside of the foot, behind the little toe, and the fifth metatarsal bone (which is a much smaller bone). These are commonly referred to as “bunionettes” on the outside of the foot.

The most common is the very large formation bunion at the ball of the foot.

Many people that think bunions are hereditary. In actuality, it’s not the bunion that is hereditary; it is the amount of pronation that exists in the rearfoot that is hereditary. This would be the amount of pronation that you are born with.

The bunion is simply the symptom of the excessive pronation that exists in the rearfoot.

Whenever you have excessive motion, stress and pressure on a bone in a joint area in the foot, the foot will counteract that, first with fluids and soft tissue inflammation. Secondly, bone will start to grow. So anytime you add friction to the surface of a bone it will start to become enlarged.

Anytime that you add direct force and pressure to a joint or bone where the blood flow is cut off and there is not movement, you will have deterioration of the joint or bone and it will get smaller.

When a bunion appears, that lets you know immediately that you have excessive motion, instability, and friction around that area.

Many people that think high heels and the shape of the high heel’s pointed toe is the cause of bunions. In reality, it is ill-fitting shoes and the shape of the shoe itself that accelerates the process and the growth of the bunion.

There are a number of male individuals that have bunions on their feet that have never even worn a high heel shoe, or a shoe that has a pointed toe like a cowboy boot. So it is not fair to say that it is the high heel shoe that creates the bunions. It is the shoe shape and style that accelerates the whole process although the bunion probably exists before they even get into that type of shoe style.

Because it is pronation in the rearfoot that triggers the bunion, it is very important to use a good footbed or an orthotic to stabilize the rearfoot so that the forefoot and the ball of the foot area are stable. This will help to reduce any excessive motion or friction at the ball of the foot.

It is equally important to make sure that the shoe has plenty of room around the associated bunion area so that the shoe does not add any increased friction, rubbing or pressure at the ball of the foot.

Bunions can be removed surgically. But what is equally important is to make sure that after the surgery an orthotic is made for the foot, or a proper footbed is used to stabilize the foot.

After bunions have been surgically removed, it is possible for them to re-occur later on. Generally this happens more often when there has not been the introduction of a corrective orthotic or a good supportive footbed after the bunion surgery.

Again, you must understand that it is the pronation of the rearfoot that predisposes the forefoot to bunion symptoms, so you must treat the cause first, before you treat the symptoms.

http://superfeet.com/foot-health/FHI19.aspx?TXT=bunion