Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
Beat those bunions
IF you suffer from bunions – a deformity of the toe joint, which causes the big toe to point inwards and the bone at the base of the toe to jut outwards – you’ll know how painful (and unsightly) they can be.
It’s estimated that almost a quarter of us have these bony protrusions, and that rises to more than a third of over65s. And even pretty princesses are not immune from having less-than-perfect tootsies. Both Kate Middleton and Meghan Markle suffer with bunions.
So why do we get them – and what can be done about it? When your foot shape is prone to bunions and you wear tight-fitting shoes or high heels which force your foot forward into a narrow toe box (squashing your big toe inwards), this could cause a bunion – and will definitely make an existing one worse. Most shoes don’t have room to accommodate the protrusion of a bunion and will exert pressure on the joint. This can then lead to the bursa (the fluid-filled sac that cushions the joint) becoming sore and inflamed.
“You should wear shoes that conform to the shape of your foot without squeezing or pressing any part of it,” says podiatrist Dr Bharti Rajput, solebodysoul.com.
“Look for footwear with a wide toe box, preferably made out of soft leather or fabric to avoid any rubbing of the bony bump of the bunion. It’s best if the front of the shoe has no embroidery or stitching detail as these can irritate the bunion.”
Try Calla shoes (callashoes.co.uk). They’re especially designed for bunions, with extra width and volume where you need it most, plus a cushioned memory foam insole with arch support. Some socks – and even tights – can squeeze your toes close together and possibly exacerbate bunion development. Make sure you can easily stretch your toes in your socks (but without there being too much spare fabric) and remember that they’ll probably shrink in the wash a little too.
Toetoe Socks (toesocks.co.uk) have individual toe pockets for each toe on your foot and are seamless, preventing any edges rubbing on your bunion. “As well as the obvious signs, such as redness, a lump and the sloping of the toe, muscle spasms in the affected area are another sign that foot mechanics are starting to suffer,” says Jennifer Bailey from Calla. “This is your body warning you that something is wrong, and that your muscles are trying to calm an unstable foot.” Don’t ignore it – see a podiatrist. “Try this daily exercise to keep the joint flexible and help stop a bunion from feeling uncomfortable and stiff,” says podiatrist Dina Gohil (dgpodiatrist.com).
“Think of your big toe as a gear stick in a car. Hold it firmly in the middle and gently pull your toe out. You will feel an increase in space in your toe joint.
“Hold this position (which we will call neutral). Then gently push down and return to neutral and pull up and return. Continue by pushing left, then neutral and right, then neutral.” In a study published in the Journal of Physical Therapy Science, this exercise showed improvements for subjects with mild to moderate bunions.
Keeping your heel and the ball of your foot on the ground, first lift all your toes off the ground and spread them out. Next push your little toe down on to the floor towards the outside of the body.
Keeping it there, now slowly push your big toe on to the floor towards the middle of the body. Repeat 10 times. The only way to restore your toe to its normal position is to undergo surgery.
Traditional bunion surgery involves making a large incision into the skin, then straightening the toe and holding it in place with screws – and recovery can take up to six weeks.
But a new, minimally invasive technique, which is less painful with a faster recovery time, is becoming more popular.
It requires only five tiny incisions to cut, reshape, pin and shave the toe bone, and specially designed screws with a bevelled edge are used to keep it in place.
“Because the cuts are so small, you don’t need stitches – I use steri-strips to close the tiny wounds,” says Mr Kunasingam, one of the surgeons performing the new technique.
“You can walk on the foot straight away, the bandage is taken off in two weeks, and there’s less chance of stiffness and swelling.”