Bunions: When to Discuss Surgery
Bunions are not always painful. This bump on the outside of the big toe may be caused by how heredity has shaped your foot, by a foot deformity or by foot injury or stress. Wearing high heels or shoes that are narrow or tight in the toe area can worsen this condition.
A bunion will not resolve itself on its own – it can only get worse. The big toe will continue pushing against the second toe, making the joint even larger. You may experience pain and swelling, and the toe can develop calluses from rubbing against your shoes.
Conservative Solutions May Resolve Bunion Symptoms
When a bunion becomes painful and interferes with walking or wearing shoes, that’s the time to come in for an evaluation. Many conservative or non-invasive treatments can help relieve pain and slow the bunion’s growth:
Switch footwear to styles that have lots of toe room
Remove painful corns and calluses
Add strategic padding to shoes to lessen skin irritations and friction
Prescribe custom-fitted orthotics that can help stabilize the joint and keep the foot in the right position
Exercise the foot to maintain joint mobility and flexibility
When a child has a bunion, a nighttime splint can help the joint realign because young people’s bones are still somewhat flexible.
When Is Bunion Surgery Required?
If these conservative methods have not alleviated your pain or helped with walking and other activities we will discuss surgical options with you.
A bunionectomy is unique for each patient based on their condition. Our goal will be to remove the bunion and realign the toe.
Bunion surgery is usually done on an outpatient basis. The patient should begin walking on the foot within a few days and can return to normal activities shortly.
Let Us Help with Your Bunion Pain
If you have heel pain or pain from bunions or hammertoes or any other foot or ankle condition or have suffered any type of foot or ankle injury, please call our board-certified podiatrists at Park 56 Podiatry soon to be The Center for Podiatric Care and Sports Medicine. Dr. Jonathan M. Levy, Dr. Nadia F. Levy, Dr. Diane M. Castro, Dr. Josef Geldwert, Dr. Katherine Lai and Dr. Vera Malezhik offer expert podiatry services at our Manhattan office at 120 East 56th Street. Please call us today at (212) 980-6487 to schedule your appointment.
