Bunions
I remember being a kid and seeing my mom’s feet, especially in the summer. She had this bump
on the inside area of her big toe. She always said, “I hope you don’t have my feet when you grow
up!” I always wondered why her bone stuck out like that. These “bumps” are called bunions.
What is a Bunion?
A bunion is a foot deformity that occurs when the big toe bone shifts out of place. Your big toe
begins to move inward towards the smaller toes, and as this happens, the bottom part of the big
toe turns outwards to form that “bump.”
How does this happen? Sometimes it happens because of tight-fitting shoes worn for a long time
with a narrow toe box, and it can also occur because of other medical conditions such as arthritis
and good ‘ole genetics.
What are some of the signs and symptoms of a Bunion?
- An enlarging bump on the outside of your big or small toe.
- Redness, swelling, or soreness on the outside of the foot where the bump is.
- Pain that comes and goes.
- Decreased range of motion of the big toe.
What can you do?
You can do a few things to help relieve the pain you may begin to feel because of the bunion.
- Change your footwear.
- You can have Orthotics put into your shoes.
- You can purchase a toe spacer to place in between the big toe and second toe so that the big toe is more in alignment.
- PHYSICAL THERAPY.
Physical Therapy is an excellent conservative treatment that can help decrease the pain of your
bunion. The team at Comprehensive Physical Therapy can help improve the mobility of your big
toe, assess your footwear needs, and give you exercises to strengthen the muscles in the foot and
ankle to help support the big toe joint..
We can even help decrease your swelling and pain using manual therapy. Once you start having
pain, it is essential to take care of the foot. More pressure through that joint will cause the fat
pads under your big toe to wither away. When that happens, there will be more pain and more
likely a progression of arthritis. When this happens, surgery is usually the only way to solve the
problem. Avoid surgery and come to Physical Therapy so we can help you get back to
participating in the activities you love to do without pain.
Comprehensive Physical Therapy can help you get rid of your pain. Call today at (985) 869-7221 and schedule your personalized evaluation with one of our Physical Therapists.
By Dr. Billy Beaudreau, PT, DPT, MTC, OCS, FAAOMPT