Bunions

Dealing with bunions

Bunions are generally classified as below but this does not always correspond with severity  of pain.

Just because you have a bunion does not mean you have to do anything. If it’s not bothering you, leave it alone. However, we know that bunions can be painful and can have a big impact on your mobility. They can also cause people to become self-conscious of their feet.

Questions to ask yourself

In order to help measure how problematic your bunion is, ask yourself the following questions:  

• Is it painful every day? 
• Does it restrict any of your activities e.g. work, getting to the shops, doing the housework, hobbies etc? 
• Is there deep joint pain?
• Is pain transferring to the ball of your foot?
• Does footwear make it worse?
• Is it painful even without shoes on?
• Are you finding it increasingly difficult to find comfortable footwear?
• Would you consider surgery? 

If you answer yes to any of these questions, continue reading. If answering yes to the majority and the following does not give you any relief please seek advice from a healthcare professional.

Adapt your footwear

Ensure the widest part of your foot corresponds to the widest part of your foot. Look for rounded, deep toe boxes. Go to our comprehensive Footwear Guide to find out how you can choose the right shoe for you.

Pain medication

Pain medication may help to manage the pain, allowing you to keep mobile. Speak to a pharmacist or your GP for further advice. 

Further Treatment

Podiatry

Not everyone needs to be seen by a podiatrist. However, if you are struggling with pain, restricted function and the above treatments have not helped, then the next step would be to see your GP practice for a referral into The PhysioWorks (Foot & Ankle) Service. Initially, they will assess your problem and further investigate as necessary. Once they have a diagnosis then further management will be undertaken.