Should You Get Your Bunions Fixed.

At long last, the Foot Blogger Chick has been asked a question. I love getting questions! It is so much easier to figure out what to write about if someone asks a question.
Dear Foot Blogger Chick,
Why should I get my bunion fixed? I have had it for years and it doesn’t bother me. Is there any reason to do anything when it doesn’t bother me?
My Mother told me to…

 

That is an interesting question. I guess that first off we will do a quick review about bunions.

 

1.       How can you tell you have a bunion? The usual way is when you look at your foot and see a bump sticking out under your big toe or (yes, there are two kinds) on your foot under your little toe. Of course, you need to go to your friendly local podiatrist for a true diagnosis.
2.       How did you get a bunion? There are several reasons as to why you might develop a bunion. At the top of the list is heredity. If one of your parents or grandparents had a bunion, then it could be that you inherited bone structure that led to your bunion. Wearing ill-fitting shoes is another reason for the development of a bunion. A bunion occurs when the joint at the base of your toe becomes misaligned. In the case of the big toe, the metatarsophalangeal (MTP) joint bulges out of your foot while your big toe turns in toward the other toes.
3.       Are some of the professions more susceptible to having bunions? Yes, think of those professions that have you on your feet most of the time. Professions like nursing and teaching would be an example. Dancers are another good example of when a profession could lead to the development of bunions. Also, women may develop bunions during pregnancy when the hormonal changes loosen ligaments.
The question was if there was a reason to have surgery to repair the misalignment of the MTP joint if it is not really causing any problems. It is easy to see that if you are not experiencing any problems you would just choose to ignore your bunion. I know I would try and ignore it.
But let’s think about it. You know that the bones in your feet are misaligned just by virtue of you having a bunion. They are not going to straighten out on their own. As your body ages, the tendons and ligaments are not as strong and the chance of the misalignment causing other issues (hammertoes, corns, and/or cross over toes) becomes a bigger possibility.
And what if you are bothered by your bunion but you still avoid having something done about it. Well, what typically happens is that people start cutting back on their activities because it hurts to get out and do things. The bunion can just reduce your quality of life and while I can understand not wanting to have surgery, it seems like getting the bunion fixed is a short term fix that will help you in the long term.
My suggestion? Go to the doctor and have your bunion checked to see how bad it is and what the doctor has to say about it. You can discuss a plan with the doctor that works for you and your future.
Your Pal,
The Foot Blogger Chick
Happy first day of Fall!  What a great time of year.  We have been collecting pins about fall on a Pinterest board.  Please check it out! https://www.pinterest.com/evpodiatric/fall/

 

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