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Hallux valgus / Bunion

Hallux valgus is a deformity in the big toe that can cause pain in shoes and when walking bare feet. This is an inward deviation of the first metatarsal, resulting in an outward deviation of the big toe. We then note a bump on the side of the foot. 

Symptoms:

  • Pain on the bump or inside the articulation (osteoarthritis) 

  • Impaired mobility of the toe

  • Difficulty wearing shoes

  • Deviation of the big toe towards the 2nd toe

  • Pain at the base of the 2nd toe, sometimes with callus

  • Redness and inflammation
     

Causes:

  • Genetics

  • Age​

  • More frequent in women

  • Arthritis or degenerative diseases

  • Ill-fitting shoes 

  • Higher mobility in the ligaments of the foot

  • Flat feet (hyperpronation)

  • Pregnancy and menopause

Home treatments:

  • Wearing more suitable shoes, in particular with the mention "wide", or wide at the forefoot

  • Icing and rest

  • Shoe modification

  • Shoes with flexible fabric on the top
     

Treatments by the podiatrist:

  • Custom plantar orthotics to slow down the deformation and reduce the weight on the joint

  • Therapeutic laser (for joint inflammation)

  • Cortisone shots 

  • Surgery as a last resort

For more answers to your questions, ​
see your neighborhood podiatrist.

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