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Common foot complaints

Bunions (Hallux Valgus)

This is a common condition that effects the everyday walker in modern society.

Hallux Valgus is the condition when the big toe is angled excessively towards the second toe and the hallux is blocked, preventing the big toe from being able to bend and ‘toe-off’ in a straight line.

The foot is therefore forced to change its gait cycle i.e. turning the foot laterally during walking, forcing the foot to roll off the medial side of the big toe at the point of the first ‘met head’ (bony prominence), thus increasing the lateral pressure on the big toe.

The body then tries to protect the over-working ‘first met’ head by allowing the calcification of the bone, which, as it builds up, is known as a bunion. A bunion can therefore be the direct result of the limitation of the hallux, although there are other ways that a bunion can also arise.

A bunion can be seen as a repetitive strain injury due to a continuous condition bringing on the calcification of the bone; bunions can become prominent if suffering from arthritis or if the foot has been continually squeezed into inappropriate footwear.

Women tend to suffer from the condition more than men due to the demands of fashion and the use of restrictive footwear; the pressure on the toe-area is increased through the use of heels or more pointed shoes.

Treatment:

Visit your local Podiatrist or GP who will give you a series of exercises to complete.
Orthotic links to services we offer treatment may be suggested to help correct the dysfunction that is occurring.
Other recommendations might be night-splints or basic shoe alterations to try and correct the foot by holding the toes straight.
Surgery is only recommended if the patient is suffering chronic pain and as a last resort to resolve the problem.

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