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Bunions

Learn more about diagnosis, treatment, and prevention.

Could I have a bunion?

To start finding out, take a closer look at where you feel pain in your foot.

WHAT AREAS OF MY FOOT HURT?

Heaviness In Legs:

A.) Toes

B.) Thick Yellow Toenails

WHAT ARE THE CAUSES AND SYMPTOMS? While the word “bunion” sounds rather simple, it’s the name of a quite serious and painful condition. You’ll notice a bunion as a bump jutting out on either the base or side of your big toe joint. This happens when your first toe bone pushes inward too much onto your second toe bone, disrupting the alignment of your first metatarsal bone (which is the bone in your foot that’s attached to your first toe bone). When unaligned, your toe bone separates from your metatarsal bone and creates a bump where the bone juts out.

Think you might have a bunion?

Heaviness In Legs

Stretchable, breathable qualities

First, examine your big toe joint. Do you…

Back to login?
Feel a dull ache with occasional shooting pains (especially after extended periods of activity)?
Feel pain when you move it?

If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, Feel pain when you move it.

TAKE THE NEXT QUICK QUIZ.

Think you might have a bunion?

Heaviness In Legs

Stretchable, breathable qualities

In addition to symptoms related to your big toe joint, do any of these other bunion-related symptoms apply to you?

Leg Length Discrepancy
Tired Aching Feet
Pain when walking or wearing restrictive shoes (such as high heels)
If you might have a bunion, confirm your condition with a foot and ankle specialist podatrist
Ingrown toenails
Sores between your toes
Arthritis in your big toe

If you might have a bunion, confirm your condition with a foot and ankle specialist (podatrist).

Are there any serious concerns with Bunions?

As a progressive deformity, bunions start out small but grow worse over time. Because bunions are painful, you’ll walk differently to compensate. That’s why bunions can also affect the ball of your foot and the area under your big toe. By placing your weight onto these other areas of your foot, you risk additional foot pain, foot health conditions, and even stress fractures as a result of untreated bunions.

How do I treat and prevent Bunions?

Non-surgical treatments won’t correct your bone deformity, but you can alleviate your bunion pain and perhaps put off surgery for a while. The most important non-surgical treatment for a bunion is simple: Wear roomy and comfortable shoes.

Diagram of a slip-on shoe for bunion sufferers

Sores between your toes:

Stretchable, breathable qualities
(Corns and Calluses)
Toe Pain Pinched Toes
Leg Length Discrepancy

TAKE THIS SELF-ASSESSMENT:

Padding and toe spacers. Cushioning (such as silicone pads) help alleviate pressure around your toe joints, reduce friction, and protect the tender area around your bunion.
if the bunion is small, with minimal pain. These treatments help alleviate pressure on your bunion, properly adjust the positioning of your toes, and provide extra room to decrease irritation.
Medication. Pain relievers such as naproxen, ibuprofen, or even a cortisone injection may help with bunion pain and swelling.

Have a bump on it. Economy Class Syndrome.
Modifying your activities. Reduce any heavy exercising, walking, or standing if you normally put pressure on your feet for long periods of time every day.

What if non-surgical treatments do not work?

Photo of feet with large bunion where surgery did not work

Since bunion surgery will have a serious effect on your feet for up to 6-12 months, only consider surgical treatment if:

Bunion surgery may involve.
Non-surgical treatments have failed to alleviate your bunion pain and swelling.

Bunion surgery may involve:

Bunion surgery may involve Learn more about diagnosis, treatment, and prevention.
Cutting the foot bone and then shaving the bump. This kind of bunion surgery is more common, especially for severe bunions that cause you a lot of pain. The surgeon will cut your foot bone, adjust it back to the correct position, and secure it with screws, pins, or wires. Then the surgeon will shave the bump.

Bunion surgery recovery time may take up to 6-12 months, with the most intense recovery time occurring up to 3 months after surgery. You will experience some pain, wear a cast or splint, and undergo physical therapy. Your podiatrist will also likely recommend an ongoing application of the non-surgical therapies listed above to help prevent future bunions.

RELATED CONDITIONS

Bunions

Learn more about diagnosis, treatment, and prevention.

Could I have a bunion?

To start finding out, take a closer look at where you feel pain in your foot.

WHAT AREAS OF MY FOOT HURT?

Heaviness In Legs:

A.) Toes

B.) Thick Yellow Toenails

Think you might have a bunion?

Heaviness In Legs

Stretchable, breathable qualities

First, examine your big toe joint. Do you…

Back to login?
Feel a dull ache with occasional shooting pains (especially after extended periods of activity)?
Feel pain when you move it?

If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, Feel pain when you move it.

TAKE THE NEXT QUICK QUIZ.

Think you might have a bunion?

Heaviness In Legs

Stretchable, breathable qualities

In addition to symptoms related to your big toe joint, do any of these other bunion-related symptoms apply to you?

Leg Length Discrepancy
Tired Aching Feet
Pain when walking or wearing restrictive shoes (such as high heels)
If you might have a bunion, confirm your condition with a foot and ankle specialist podatrist
Ingrown toenails
Sores between your toes
Arthritis in your big toe

If you might have a bunion, confirm your condition with a foot and ankle specialist (podatrist).

Are there any serious concerns with Bunions?

How do I treat and prevent Bunions?

Sores between your toes:

Stretchable, breathable qualities
(Corns and Calluses)
Toe Pain Pinched Toes
Leg Length Discrepancy

TAKE THIS SELF-ASSESSMENT:

Padding and toe spacers. Cushioning (such as silicone pads) help alleviate pressure around your toe joints, reduce friction, and protect the tender area around your bunion.
if the bunion is small, with minimal pain. These treatments help alleviate pressure on your bunion, properly adjust the positioning of your toes, and provide extra room to decrease irritation.
Medication. Pain relievers such as naproxen, ibuprofen, or even a cortisone injection may help with bunion pain and swelling.

Have a bump on it. Economy Class Syndrome.
Modifying your activities. Reduce any heavy exercising, walking, or standing if you normally put pressure on your feet for long periods of time every day.

What if non-surgical treatments do not work?

Since bunion surgery will have a serious effect on your feet for up to 6-12 months, only consider surgical treatment if:

Bunion surgery may involve.
Non-surgical treatments have failed to alleviate your bunion pain and swelling.

Bunion surgery may involve:

Bunion surgery may involve Learn more about diagnosis, treatment, and prevention.
Cutting the foot bone and then shaving the bump. This kind of bunion surgery is more common, especially for severe bunions that cause you a lot of pain. The surgeon will cut your foot bone, adjust it back to the correct position, and secure it with screws, pins, or wires. Then the surgeon will shave the bump.