Bunions
Podiatric surgeon and foot & ankle specialist in austin, tx
Bunions Services Offered In Austin, Tx
Bunions Q&A
What are bunions?
Bunions are an abnormality affecting the metatarsophalangeal (MTP) joint at the bottom of your big toe. A bunion causes a pronounced bump, and, in many cases, forces the big toe to tilt sideways and or overlap the small toes next to it.
Bunions often also contribute to the development of hammertoe, in which the middle joint in one of your small toes bends and won’t straighten normally.
A small bunion can grow larger over time if untreated. As the problem worsens, typical symptoms include big toe stiffness, pain, and swelling. Because a bunion disrupts general foot symmetry, you could develop gait (walking) abnormalities as well.
What causes bunions?
Bunions affect the MTP joint, but they actually begin in the first metatarsal bone in the middle of your foot. Instability in the first metatarsal bone causes a chain reaction that creates the bunion: the bone leans sideways, rotates abnormally, and arches upwards.Â
All of these things combine to cause the bunion in your MTP joint. The root cause of the midfoot instability is often inherited. While high heels don’t directly cause bunions, they can contribute to their development if you’re prone to the abnormality. Â
What are the treatments for bunions?
There are two categories of bunion treatment: symptom management and curative treatments.Â
Symptom management
Symptom management involves approaches like wearing custom orthotics, accommodative shoes, icing, and taking anti-inflammatory medications. These approaches can ease your discomfort and may help prevent the bunion from growing larger.Â
However, you can’t remove a bunion or correct its underlying structural issues using nonsurgical techniques nor can symptom management shrink the bunion.Â
Curative treatment
Curative treatment involves surgically realigning the bone. While specific surgical techniques for each procedure is different, the goal with these procedures is to realign the bones or stabilization of the unstable joint that caused the bunion.Â
Dr. Ho-Ellsworth performs minimally invasive surgery (MIS) to correct bunions with or without internal hardware. She can explain the options and help you choose the right one for you.Â
Call the Align Foot & Ankle office or click on the online scheduler to set up your bunion surgery consultation today.Â
- 1600 W. 38th Street, Suite 408 Austin, Tx 78731 (inside The Jefferson Building)
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Hours of Operation
- Monday: 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
- Tuesday: 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
- Wednesday: 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
- Thursday: 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
- Friday: 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
