Treatments for Hallux Valgus
Bunions develop from a deformity of the foot called hallux valgus. Bunions often form because women frequently wear poorly-fitting shoes with narrow, pointed toes for long periods of time. Surgery is one option to correct this deformity.
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Cause of Bunions
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The cause of a developing bunion is generally wearing poor-fitting shoes for too long, as in wearing a pair of dress shoes with a narrow pointed toe all day long. This shoe style forces the toes to squeeze into a very small space, which is an unnatural position for them. Other causes of bunions are polio and arthritis. According to the website for the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, arthritis and polio cause a small percentage of bunions. Further, a study conducted by the American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society established that 88 percent of women in the United States wear shoes that are too small for them; 55 percent of these American women have developed bunions because they wear shoes that are too small.
Surgery
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Bunion surgery is intended to relieve the symptoms of chronic inflammation of the big toe and related swelling, severe foot pain that limits every day activity even when wearing well-fitting shoes, toe stiffness, toe deformity with your big toe drifting toward your smaller toes, the inability to obtain relief from painkillers, including NSAIDS, and the failure to obtain substantial improvement with other non-surgical treatments.
The different surgeries to repair the foot and remove bunions include arthrodesis (removal of damaged joint surfaces and inserting wires, plates or screws to hold the new surfaces together), the repair of tendons and ligaments around the big toe and correcting any imbalance of ligaments that are too loose or too tight and exostectomy, removal of the bump on the joint of the big toe. This surgery is performed when there is no drift of the big toe. Osteotomy is cutting and realignment of the joint. Resection arthroplasty is removal of the damaged part of the toe joint. This surgery is performed on those who have had previous bunionectomies or who have severe arthritis.
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Recovery
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After surgery, you will need to take care of the dressing and bandage that is covering your incision and holding your toe in its new, corrected position. Your surgeon will give you a special shoe to wear that will protect your foot. He will remove your stitches approximately 2 weeks after your surgery. You will keep your dressing and bandage on your foot to continue providing needed support.
You will be instructed to use crutches or a cane to help support some of your weight until you are allowed to bear more weight on your foot.
Proper Footwear
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Before you develop a bunion, make sure you wear properly fitting footwear with a wide toe box, which allows your toes room to stretch and spread as you stand and walk. If you already have a bunion, stop wearing shoes with tight, narrow toes and begin buying and wearing shoes that accommodate your toes. After surgery, do not go back to wearing shoes that do not fit your new foot shape because you will develop another bunion.
Post-Surgical Exercises
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Your doctor may recommend strengthening exercises after your surgery. Always start this kind of exercise program slowly and make sure you obey your doctor's instructions. These exercises may include picking marbles up with your toes to restore range of motion or using a surgical band to strengthen your ankle.
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