Sometimes health problems and foot pain are outside your control. You can’t always prevent an injury or avoid an infection. Sometimes, however, what you do has a direct effect on your feet—and makes them worse. Many people do this to their bunions without realizing it. The shoes you wear and the things you do might just be increasing your bunion deformity and overall foot pain.
Bunions are a common foot deformity. They develop when abnormal pressure on your forefoot encourage your first metatarsal to tilt away from the others, while your big toe tilts toward your smaller digits. The joint where they meet develops a painful bulge as a result. The more these bones dislocate from their normal positions, the bigger and more painful the bump gets.
Unfortunately, you might be helping that happen. Lots of people worsen their bunion deformities without realizing it, creating more painful problems for themselves down the line. Here are some of the most common ways people make bunions worse on their own:
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Sticking to High Heels – High heels shift your body weight forward onto the ball of your foot. This puts more pressure on the bunion, worsening it.
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Choosing Flats Without Support – Flats without enough arch support aren’t much better for a bunion. You still risk putting too much pressure on your forefoot when you walk without support, aggravating the bump.
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Wearing Narrow, Pointed Shoes – Narrow or pointy shoes squeeze your digits and encourage your big toe to tilt even more toward your smaller toes.
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Overworking the Forefoot – Repetitive motions and excessive pressure from activities can stress the ball of your foot and increase the tilt in your big toe and first metatarsal.
These are simple things that people do every day that could be slowly transforming a minor bunion into a big problem. Don’t let your own choices be the cause long-lasting foot pain. Our experts at Absolute Foot Care Specialists can help you determine what may be making your forefoot deformity worse, and what you can do to treat it today. Make an appointment at our Las Vegas offices by calling (702) 839-2010 to take care of your lower limbs. You can also use our web contact form.
