Bunions Category

Tailor’s Bunion: Understanding the Condition and Treatment Options

June 26, 2023

Tailor’s Bunion, also known as a bunionette, is a common foot condition that affects many individuals. It can cause cosmetic concerns, pain while wearing shoes, and a progressive deformity. In this article, we will delve into the two types of Tailor’s Bunion and explore the available treatment options. Whether you’re seeking relief from discomfort or looking to address the signs of a bunionette, understanding the condition and its management is essential. Let’s explore this condition together and discover the best path towards healthier, pain-free feet.

Understanding Tailor’s Bunion

Tailor’s Bunion manifests in two forms: enlargement of the lateral head of the 5th metatarsal and curvature in the distal half of the 5th metatarsal. Prolonged shoe wear is a primary factor contributing to the development of hypertrophic tissue between the skin and bone. This tissue growth acts as a cushion in response to the irritation of the 5th metatarsal head. However, it can lead to discomfort, shoe-related pain, and an increasingly visible deformity.

Enlargement of the Lateral Head of the 5th Metatarsal

The enlargement of the lateral head of the 5th metatarsal occurs gradually, often exacerbated by factors such as wearing tight shoes, overpronation, a lowered medial arch, and foot trauma. Tight footwear and a low arch can accelerate the progression of the deformity. Surgical intervention for this type of Tailor’s Bunion typically involves the removal of the enlarged bone from the lateral aspect of the 5th metatarsal head, along with any hypertrophic tissue present in the area.

Postoperative care is crucial for successful recovery. Patients are advised to wear a special shoe for 6-8 weeks, practice regular icing and elevation, and avoid regular shoe use for 8 weeks to minimize pressure on the surgical site. These measures help prevent bone regrowth during the healing process. Walking without crutches is generally allowed, but it’s important to refrain from wearing tight shoes or ski boots for extended periods, as this can lead to bursitis.

Curvature of the Distal 5th Metatarsal

The curvature of the distal 5th metatarsal is a congenital deformity that accounts for half of all Tailor’s Bunion cases. Surgical treatment for this type typically involves a 5th metatarsal osteotomy to straighten the bone. Various fixation methods, such as screws, plates, wires, or pins, may be employed during the procedure. Postoperative care includes wearing a walking boot consistently, regular icing, and elevation for six weeks. Afterward, patients transition to a postoperative shoe for 2-3 weeks before gradually reintroducing regular footwear.

If you’re struggling with the discomfort and cosmetic concerns of Tailor’s Bunion, it’s time to seek expert guidance and professional care. Dr. Elizabeth Auger, a highly experienced podiatrist with over 24 years of practice, is ready to provide you with the comprehensive treatment you deserve. With three convenient Utah locations in Sandy, West Jordan, and Salt Lake City, Dr. Auger invites you to schedule a consultation and take the first step towards healthier, pain-free feet.

Regain Comfort and Confidence, Contact Dr. Elizabeth Auger Today

Don’t let Tailor’s Bunion hinder your quality of life any longer. Trust in Dr. Elizabeth Auger’s expertise and experience as she guides you through the treatment process. With a focus on personalized care and effective solutions, Dr. Auger is committed to helping you find relief from pain and addressing the deformity caused by Tailor’s Bunion.

Schedule an appointment with Dr. Elizabeth Auger today and discover the transformative difference that specialized podiatric care can make in your life. Regain your mobility, enhance your comfort, and achieve healthier feet. Your journey towards improved foot health starts with a simple call or visit to one of Dr. Auger’s Utah locations. Take the leap and experience the expert care that will put you back on your feet with confidence and ease.

7 Exercises That Are Great for Relieving Bunion Pain

July 15, 2020

For some people, especially women, bunions are a painful fact of life. But with a few simple exercises, you can not only relieve the problems posed by bunions but help rehabilitate your entire foot’s structure. These exercises can help you strengthen your feet, correct the deformity, and make future bunions less likely to form.

How Do Bunions Form?

A bunion is a joint deformity that is often brought on by muscle and tendon imbalances within the foot and calf. Wearing tight-fitting, narrow shoes can both cause bunions to form and make them worse over time.

Because women’s feet tend to be smaller — and modern culture encourages women to wear tight-fitting shoes (often with heels) — bunions can disproportionately affect them. According to an article in the Journal of Orthopedic and Sports Physical Therapy, bunions affect around 35% of women over the age of 65.

Correcting Bunions with 7 Simple Daily Exercises

The good news about bunions is that they can be corrected and prevented using certain exercises.

Ideally, these barefoot exercises will be performed for 10 – 20 minutes every day. While that may seem like a lot, you’ll likely find that the relief these movements provide is well worth the minimal effort they take. Plus, there’s a strong chance that rehabilitating your foot and calf muscle structure can prevent the need for surgery, making a strong case for strengthening your toes daily!

If you can’t fit these movements into your daily routine, try doing them every other day. You can alternate which exercises you do on a given day, but be sure to do each one for the recommended repetitions or until your foot becomes tired.

Also, always do all exercises with both feet, even if you only have a bunion on one. Otherwise, you may create further imbalances that could affect your gait, your hips, your feet, and your spinal alignment.

1. Big Toe Circles

This is the simplest exercise, and it’s the best one to start off with if you have severe foot pain or difficulty walking. All you have to do is use your hands to gently and slowly rotate your big toe in a circular motion 20 times while seated. Then, reverse the direction. If bending over is difficult, you can perform this exercise with your foot on your knee.

2. Foot Curl and Point

While seated and holding your foot six inches off the floor, curl your toes while pointing your big toe at an angle towards the floor. Hold for 10 seconds. Repeat 20 times a set, and do 2 to 3 sets a session.

3. Raised Toe Resistance

Similar to the curl and point, sit in a chair while allowing your feet to hover 6 inches above the ground. Raise your big toe upwards as high as you can (without straining) while keeping the bottoms of your feet parallel to the ground. You can add gentle resistance to this exercise by using your hands to put a small amount of pressure on your toes while they’re lifting up. Hold each repetition for 10 seconds, and do 5 repetitions per foot.

4. Toe Spread

With your foot flat on the ground, spread your big toe and your small (pinky) toe as far apart from each other as you comfortably can using just your foot muscles. Your big toe should be moving towards your inner heel and the other foot. Keep your heel and the bottoms of your feet as flat as possible. Do this 10 – 20 times per foot.

5. Towel Grip and Pull

This one might dirty up a fresh towel, so maybe it’s best after a relaxing Epsom soak! All you have to do is place the towel on the ground with your feet on top, either seated or standing. Using one foot at a time, scrunch your toes to pull the towel closer towards your body. Keep your toes tense for five seconds at a time, and then relax and repeat on alternating feet. Do this for 3 – 5 minutes.

6. Heel Raises

While standing and with knees slightly bent, begin to raise your inner arch with your heel slightly inwards. Then, raise your heel off the ground using your big toe as support.

This exercise might be difficult if you have severe bunions or currently have underdeveloped leg muscles. However, that makes it all the more important to do! Strengthening your big toe muscles and tendons alongside your calves reduce the chances of bunions reforming, and it can also improve posture, gait, and other skeletal deformities.

7. Toe Abduction (with Exercise Band)

This is another exercise to build up towards if you have more severe bunions. To perform the exercise, simply take a small exercise band and wrap it around the outer edge of each big toe. Then, while keeping your heels fixed, pivot your feet outwards and use your big toes to stretch the band. Keep the tension for 5 seconds, then release. Repeat 20 times.

Other Therapeutic Exercises

There are many therapeutic ways to relieve pain and help you “de-stress” tired and swollen tendons or bones in your foot. They include rolling your feet on top of a tennis ball or lacrosse ball for 3 – 5 minutes per foot. Icing can be great for swollen or painful bunions, which can be followed by a soak in comfortably hot water. Massages can also help, especially you articulate your toes while they are being performed.

Another great activity — if you have access to it — is a barefoot walk on the beach. Just be wary of sand burrs, shells, and other painful hazards first!

Treat Your Bunions at a Salt Lake City Podiatrist

In many cases, bunions can be effectively treated through home management and the use of devices like toe spacers. The choice of footwear is also critical. Wear open-toed sandals and loose-fitting, comfortable shoes for a while, and avoid heels.

However, many bunions deserve an examination by a professional podiatrist, especially if they are painful and are affecting your ability to walk or engage in activities.

Elizabeth Auger, a licensed podiatrist in Salt Lake City, can examine your feet and perform full diagnosis. She may prescribe particular ointments, orthotics, medications, or footwear to help relieve pain and coax your bunion back into the regular position. She can also monitor your progress over time and address any complications that could arise during your treatment.

Surgery may be an option in extreme cases, but our goal is to usually avoid surgery since many times bunions return if habits don’t change!

Get a full evaluation and tailored recommendations during an appointment at a location near you. Same-day appointments are usually available, so call us any time at (801) 396-9743 to book your appointment with Elizabeth Auger today!

Bunions: What in the World Causes Them?

March 21, 2018

Video Credit: Bunions: What in the World Causes Them? from Elizabeth Auger on Vimeo

Bunions (aka hallux valgus) are probably something you’ve never given much thought to – that is unless you’re unfortunate enough to have them. Bunions may seem to come out of nowhere while, in fact, they are the result of a foot injury, or an inherited structural foot defect, rheumatoid or other inflammatory type of arthritis, flat feet from cerebral palsy or obesity.

A 2011 study published in the journal, Arthritis Care and Research, showed 36% of participants had a bunion. They were more common with seniors and especially in women – very possibly due to the contributory factor of wearing narrow toe box shoes with elevated heels; sometimes for 8-10 hours a day.

Signs and Symptoms of a Bunion

When you notice a bony angular bump on the side of your foot – near the joint of your big toe – you probably have a bunion! There are also ‘bunionettes’ which occur near the small toe joint. It’s going to be very tender, swollen, red with possible numbness, with pain and burning near the base of the toe, as well as in the ball of your foot.

Bunion sufferers are also more likely to experience pain in other parts of their body as well; including the hip, knee, lower back and foot. Walking is difficult because your entire body rests on the bunion with each step. Over time, the bunion will begin to point your big toe toward your smaller ones.

More than Meets the Eye?

While thought of as merely a bump at the side of your big toe, this condition literally goes deeper, reflecting an actual modification in the anatomy of your foot.

Not always problematic, bunions are permanent without surgical intervention. They can, however, become worse from additional complications of hammertoe, bursitis, or metatarsalgia.

For a proper diagnosis, see your podiatrist for an x-ray and blood test (for arthritis). These tests will determine the best course of action; such as exercises, medication (OTC or otherwise), orthotics, surgery or alternative treatments.

Relieving Your Bunion Pain

Taping or splinting your foot into a normal position may reduce the stress on toes which are affected. Ice your foot by resting it on a frozen bag of corn or peas for 20 minutes twice a day. Ask your podiatrist which OTC (over the counter) medication will help with inflammation; sometimes an injected medicine is required to lessen the pain.

Your risk of developing bunions would also certainly be increased by wearing tight or pointy shoes which cramp your toes together. Proper fitting shoes should conform to your foot shape, without compressing any part of your toes, arch or heel. Custom fitted orthotics can provide added comfort, as might professional stretching of your shoes. Wear bunion pads to cushion the pain. Avoid activities that already aggravate your condition.

Surgical Treatment:

Of course when you have difficulty walking or are in constant pain, something more may be required. If all other remedies have been tried without effective relief, there’s always surgery. It can return your big toe back to its appropriate anatomical position. Your nerves, tendons, ligaments and bones will all be aligned in proper order, while the bunion bump will be permanently removed.

The Remarkable Human Foot

Unless we’ve experienced foot and ankles issues in our youth, we tend to take our feet for granted. They get us around, from here to there, no big deal. And yet, they’re everything, when injury or disease interferes with their function and flexibility.

Have you ever wondered how our feet can be so small yet so strong? Well, the facts below will give you just a small inkling of why ‘our feet are masterpieces of engineering’ (according to Leonardo Da Vinci).

What’s at work here?

26 bones with 33 joints – essentially, 25% of the total bones in the body;
Each foot contains more than 100 muscles, tendons and ligaments;
Location of the Achilles tendon, which connects your heel to your calf – and is the largest and thickest tendon in the body;
Contains a network of blood vessels for 3 significant muscles –the large calf (gastrocnemius), lower calf (soleus), and sole (quadratus plantae);
Over 200 thousand nerve endings – the densest composition in the whole body;
Greater than 250 thousand sweat glands – secreting 16 ounces of sweat per day.
The foot is designed to be flat on the ground, and has 2 primary functions; absorbing shock and propulsion.

Hopefully this post encourages you to research even more, and give your feet the love and care they deserve.

Holistic podiatry and preventative care has been practiced by Dr. Elizabeth E. Auger for nearly 2 decades. A New York native, Dr. Auger decided to open her Salt Lake City practice in 1999 because of her fondness for the Utah lifestyle. She is an avid sportswoman and runs, hikes and snowshoes in the Wasatch Mountains with her border collies by her side.

Bunion Treatment Begins at Home

March 21, 2017

If your foot is screaming, you need to listen and take a good look. If you notice a deformity along the side of your foot at the base of your big toe, you may have bunion. Bunions are progressive deformities of the foot caused by a realignment of the joint. They are most often caused by wearing shoes that do not allow the foot to maintain a normal position. Bunions can be painful but may cause no symptoms at all. More common in women, these aggravating foot issues can often be treated at home.

1. Change Your Shoes

Do you commonly wear shoes that provide little space for your toes? If your daily shoes are pointed or otherwise squeeze the front of your foot, it’s time to change them. Wear shoes that give the front of your foot plenty of room and give your toes space to move. This alleviates pressure from being placed squarely on your bunion.

2. Pad Your Protrusion

Bunions can be seen. They look like bumps on the side of the foot at the base of the big toe. You can purchase pads made especially for bunions at the drug store or in most big box stores. Non-medicated bunion pads can provide the cushioning your foot is aching for.

3. Over-the-Counter Pain Relief

Almost any brand-name or generic pain reliever that you can buy over-the-counter will help ease the discomfort caused by a bunion. Ibuprofen, acetaminophen and naproxen will all work to counteract the pain. If you choose to take pain medication, speak with your doctor or pharmacist to make sure it won’t interact with any other medications you are on.

4. Ice and Rest

If you spend a long day on your feet or in uncomfortable shoes, give your feet a rest at the end of the day. Take your shoes off, put your feet up and apply a bag of ice to your foot. This will help to alleviate your discomfort and reduce any inflammation that is present.

When Home Treatments Don’t Work

When you have tried to take care of your bunion at home and nothing is working, surgical intervention may be an option. A visit to an experienced podiatrist is in order. Surgery is not always recommended for bunions so it’s important to discuss all of your options with a foot doctor.

Recovery following bunion surgery can be almost immediate or take several months. After bunion surgery, people may need to change their style of preferred footwear to prevent recurrence. Speak to your doctor about what you can realistically expect after bunion surgery.

If you live in Salt Lake City and have a bunion or believe you may, contact Dr. Elizabeth Auger. Dr. Auger will examine your feet, diagnose your issues and provide you with your treatment options. Call the office today to schedule your appointment and take your first step toward comfort.

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