What Is a Bunion?
Bunions are a common foot deformity. They cause inflammation of the metatarsophalangeal joint, which connects the big toe to the foot.
This inflammation can cause toe positioning deformities and a great deal of pain while walking or even wearing shoes.
What causes bunions?
The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons estimates that more than half of the women in the United States get bunions.
Women are nine times more likely than men to develop this joint inflammation. One reason that bunions form could be that 9 out of 10 women wear shoes that are too small.
Other risk factors that can lead to bunions include:
- An individual foot type
- Foot injuries
- Congenital deformities
Bunion complications
This inflammation causes the big toe to point toward the second toe and often creates a painful bump on the inside edge of the toe. In some cases, the big toe will move under the second toe.
Sometimes the added pressure to the second toe will make this toe move out of position, even into the third toe.
As the condition advances, the positioning of the foot as a whole may appear extreme in deformity. Because of the altered positioning, wearing shoes may become difficult.
Over time, bunions can cause chronic pain and even arthritis. The repeated strain on the metatarsophalangeal joint and related toe positioning makes walking quite hard and very painful.
Why choose UPMC Orthopaedic Care for bunion treatment?
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