Our feet are often overlooked until they begin giving us trouble, like pain that hinders our mobility. Then, we realize our feet are very important. An average of 25%-35% of adults suffer from painful bunions that wreak havoc on everything from getting out of bed to playing with your grandchildren to enjoying a pleasant day of golf.
But more than troubling pain, bunions can severely limit your mobility and cause debilitating foot conditions. The Bunion Specialists at Tussey Mountain Foot & Ankle Specialists in State College, Pennsylvania, share more about bunions and how they can be treated. Since they are progressive in nature, bunions will not go away on their own: Learn more about how we can treat bunions and help you take care of your feet.
A bunion appears as a bony bump that most often appears on the side of the big toe. The bump is actually a serious misalignment issue that can completely transform the bones in the front portion of your foot, if left untreated.
This happens as pressure is exerted on the metatarsophalangeal, or the big toe, joint over time, typically several years. The joint is actually pushed out of its normal alignment, which is what causes the visible bony bump. This joint misalignment is painful and causes limited mobility.
Bunions are typically hereditary, running in families, as they are directly related to particular foot shapes. Those with flat feet or low arches are at higher risk of developing bunions. They are not caused by narrow or ill-fitting shoes, as some may believe, although these types of shoes can certainly irritate your feet and existing bunions.
Some common signs are harbingers of bunions and should not be ignored. Here are the most frequently seen early signs of bunions:
Bunions do not go away on their own. They continue to grow and become more painful, and can cause irreversible damage without professional treatment. The providers at Tussey Mountain Foot & Ankle Specialists use advanced imaging and an extensive physical exam to determine the severity of your bunions and the best treatment to recommend.
Here at Tussey Mountain Foot & Ankle Specialists, our podiatrists use state-of-the-art diagnostic imaging to evaluate the severity of your bunions efficiently, so we can start getting you on the road to feeling less pain and getting you back to your everyday activities.
Some nonsurgical treatments we may recommend include:
If these noninvasive treatments do not produce the desired relief, our expert podiatrists at Tussey Mountain Foot & Ankle Specialists may consider surgery. We use the most advanced tools and techniques for correcting bunions, including Lapiplasty®, an innovative surgical treatment for correcting bunions.
If you’re suffering from bunion pain, we can help. Call us at 814-831-7565 or request an appointment online. Don’t continue to suffer with bunions and the resulting problems with mobility.
