Treating Your Bunions

The shape of your foot has changed over the years, and you notice a bump at the bottom of your right big toe. Sometimes, it hurts–a lot–particularly when you stand on your feet all day. What is this bump? Your Butte and Bozeman, MT podiatrist, Dr. Dallin Greene or Dr. Nathan Judd, can tell you. At Big Sky Foot and Ankle Institute, they see plenty of foot and ankle conditions, and they recognize a bunion when they see one. Yes, your foot bump likely is a bunion.

Too young for bunions?

Aren’t bunions something really old people complain about? Well, aging does influence foot structure, and as years progress, people are more prone to any number of podiatric conditions, including bunions.

However, other factors contribute to these bony prominences at the juncture between the big toes and the metatarsophalangeal bones of the foot. Gender is one of them. Women develop bunions more often than men do, and the American Podiatric Medical Association attributes this to shoes. Footwear that is too tight in the toes or too high in the heels puts excessive pressure on the toes, turning that big toe inward toward the second or even third toe, forming a bunion.

Also, obesity plays a role, as do occupations which require a lot of standing or walking. Finally, your genes determine your foot structure, and certain foot structures develop bunions more easily.

Your Butte and Bozeman podiatrist treats bunions

Most bunions respond well to conservative treatments, but treat them you must because bunions can progress, leading to increased pain, deformities (such as hammertoes, corns, and calluses) and even disability.

Therefore, your Butte and Bozeman podiatrist advises several strategies–either singly or in combination–depending on your symptoms, lifestyle and results of your examination and X-rays at Big Sky Foot and Ankle Institute. Dr. Greene or Dr. Judd will formulate a care plan just right for you.

Treatments include:

• A change in shoes to ones with wider toe boxes, good support, and lower heels
• Rest (just get off your feet)
• Elevation (put your feet up)
• Customized orthotics, or shoe inserts, to alleviate pressure on the forefoot and to correct any gait issues
• Shoe padding to reduce friction
• Stretching exercises

In more serious cases, cortisone injections help. Bunionectomy surgery to re-align the big toe joint may be warranted.

Learn more

Don’t live with foot discomfort. Walk comfortably and feel good again with bunion treatment from your podiatrist at Big Sky Foot And Ankle Institute. Contact one of our two convenient offices today. In Bozeman, call (406) 206-6366. In Butte, call (406) 782-2278.