Look at your feet. Now wiggle your big toe. The joint that you’re using is VERY important. You use it every time that you stand, and every time that you walk.
The problem is that if you’re walking on flat surfaces and have any flexibility at all, you’re likely to develop bunions. The cause is biomechanical.
That’s not to say that some people aren’t born with bunions, but the majority of bunions can be traced back to poor foot biomechanics and poor environment (flat surfaces). Sometimes it’s the choice of footwear.
None of us were born to walk on hard, flat surfaces, rather on soft, unstable surfaces like grass, sand, dirt, rocks. The biomechanics of the feet will not function properly on hard, flat surfaces. They simply can’t. There is a reason your feet are in pain.
Over time, our foot structure breaks down little by little from walking improperly. Bunions are generally formed from these malfunctions in your gait. The arch falls and the forefoot turns towards the outside of the shoe, the joint of the big toe gets torqued
and swells. Sometimes it actually comes out of joint. Sometimes you get bone spurs on the edge of the joint that are extremely painful when you bend the toe. Sometimes the joint just looks really big and pushes against your shoe.
What you need to do for bunions? Well… depends. You can’t fight hereditary bunions very effectively. But there is hope for correction or partial correction with biomechanically developed bunions.
Biomechanically developed bunions are divided into two categories: Flexible and Rigid. With flexible bunions you can still move your big toe from right to left easily. Many people wearing a biomechanical arch support have seen reduction in their bunion deformity. This device is called
a Custom Biomechanical Arch Support. This type of orthotic changes the bad biomechanics of your gait, so long as you haven’t had surgical procedures that restrict your function from fully returning. It may LOOk like all the other plastic orthotics out there, but it IS NOT similar in the way they function. There are a few facilities in Denver, Colorado who carry this product.This device may or may not be helpful for those of you who have Rheumatoid Arthritis, I will point out. The orthotics may need to be worn with a rigid carbon plate underneath the orthotic to keep from irritating the inflammation in the great toe joint.
Some people with rigid bunion deformities have also seen some decrease in their bunions with the use of a biomechanical orthotic device. The only other option being to have them surgically removed, orthotics are worth trying first. It takes time, as bunions don't develop overnight, they will not dissipate overnight either.
Q: Should I explore surgery for my bunions?
A: Not as a first option. Your shoes can be made to accommodate your bunions, biomechanical orthotics will help offload pressure and maybe even cause some correction, and/or bunion splints for daytime/nightime.
Surgery should be reserved as a last option for the feet. Opperating on your feet is like taking parts off a car. It'll never function the way it's designed to. It can even stop you dead in your tracks. I've seen alot of foot damage CAUSED from foot and ankle surgeries.
Q: Why do so many people’s bunions return after having them surgically removed?
A: What happens is that people have their bunions removed, but then get right back into their old lifestyle, their old shoes, their old habits. You can’t expect a different result the second time around. It’s cause and effect.
Q: Will ANY orthotic help with my bunions?
A: Yes and no. Most orthotics are accommodative, meaning that they restrict foot movement and prevent worsening of foot conditions. Better than nothing, yes. But definitely not going to help you as much as a biomechanical/functional arch support. Accommodative orthotics support the status quo.
Whether or not your bunions bother you, they are a sign that your feet are not functioning properly. The key is to target the CAUSE of what is creating the foot problem, and work on THAT. Bunion splints, gel pads, and toe separators are all the equivalent of a band-aid. Not going to fix anything. They just mask the boo-boo.
Cross-over deformity: This usually happens when the first toe joint is pushed so far over by the bunion that the 2nd toe has no where else to go but over the first. If this becomes rigid (can’t pull the 2nd toe straight manually) it will probably have to be surgically repaired, an undesirable circumstance.
To sum-up: Unless your bunions are hereditary (you'll know if you have hereditary bunions, not if your parents had them, but if you've had them since you were in your early teens), bunions are the result of bad foot biomechanics.
If you don’t have them, be glad. If you do have them, I suggest having your feet checked for biomechanical malfunctions, and review non-surgical solutions before surgery.
Make sure that your shoes have a roomy toe box when you’re going to be on your feet a lot.
If you have ANY pressure from your shoe on the bunion, or if your bunion is red and inflammed on the outside, then you should have a pocket stretched into your shoe to accommodate.
As always, it is important to have your individual feet evaluated for solutions specific to your body type. What works for one person may not work for another. There are very few solutions for bunion deformities, though. If left untreated, they can get pretty big and ugly and interfer significantly with your gait. Compensation problems can result.
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