Bunion (hallux valgus)
The big toe drifting towards the others, with the bump that sticks out on the inner edge of the foot.
A bunion —hallux valgus— is the progressive drift of the big toe towards the other toes. What sticks out on the inner edge of the foot is not a bone that grows: it is the head of the first metatarsal, exposed as the toe drifts. There is a clear hereditary component, and narrow or high-heeled footwear does not cause it on its own but speeds up its progression, and it is usually what makes it start to hurt.
It hurts for three different reasons, and it is worth knowing which one dominates: the bump rubbing against the shoe, overload of the second and third metatarsals when the big toe stops doing its job, and the joint itself as it wears. Podiatry does not correct the deviation —only surgery does that—, but it can slow the progression, remove the pain and prevent the problems that appear around it: hard skin, overlapping toes and overload in the sole.
What can be done
- Assessing the degree of deviation and which of the three causes of pain dominates.
- Reviewing footwear: toe-box width, materials and heel height.
- Treating the associated problems: hard skin, corns and rubbing between the toes.
- Spacers or silicone orthoses to reduce the conflict with the shoe.
- Insoles to redistribute the load the big toe has stopped taking.
Does the bunion bother you when you put shoes on, or is hard skin forming around it?
Book an appointment