Is Surgery the Best Solution for Bunions?

You rely on your feet to navigate the world, and you want to make sure you’re doing what you can to support them. So, when an issue like bunions begins to develop, you wonder what your next steps should be and whether surgery is part of those steps.

Not so fast. About 19% of the world’s population has bunions, and we can assure you that not all these people undergo surgical correction for foot deformities. That said, plenty do opt for surgery when their bunions progress to a point that’s painful.

Here at Advanced Ankle & Foot, our team of foot health experts is led by Dr. John Schoppe, who has extensive experience with podiatric surgeries like bunion surgery. We encourage you to read on if you want to explore whether you might benefit from this type of intervention for your bunions.

What’s happening in your feet to create bunions

You might think of bunions as bumps on your feet, but the issue is slightly more complex.  Also called hallux valgus, this condition begins in your metatarsophalangeal joint (MTP), where the long metatarsal bone in your forefoot meets the first bone in your big toe. 

Bunions form when this joint is imbalanced and the metatarsal bone starts to drift toward the inside of your foot. This causes your big toe to shift toward the outside of your foot (toward your second toe). When this shift in the joint occurs, a bony protrusion can form on the inside of the MTP joint at the base of your big toe.

About 70% of people who develop bunions have a family history of this type of joint misalignment. Still, improper footwear that crowds your toes accounts for its fair share of the overall problem. This explains why women are far more prone to bunions — they wear more high heels with pointy toes.

The most important points we want to make about bunions are twofold: 1) Bunions are progressive, and 2) Once a bunion forms, it's not going to go away on its own.

On the road to bunion trouble

Given what we know about bunions being progressive and irreversible, bunion surgery certainly plays an important role for many people whose bunions have progressed to the point of discomfort.

In the early stages of a bunion, you likely won’t encounter any issues with pain or discomfort, and we recommend that you take steps right away to prevent them from worsening. These steps mainly involve getting shoes that allow your toes plenty of room to spread out. We can also supply you with some great exercises to offset the joint misalignment.

If your bunions continue to progress, they can become more problematic. For example, as the bony protrusion grows, it’s more likely to encounter impact and friction, which can lead to swelling. And once your bunion is inflamed, even the slightest pressure can be agony.

Your bunion may also migrate so far toward your second toe that it’s going over or under the toe, leading to further foot problems.

Is your bunion surgical?

Our overriding point in this blog is that the decision to undergo surgery is really the only one that you can make according to the impact that your bunions are having on your quality of life.

The good news is that if you do decide to have a bunionectomy, we can quickly remove your bunion and realign your joint. We perform this procedure on an outpatient basis, and we’ve had great success helping patients say goodbye to troublesome bunions.

If you want to sit down with us to discuss your options for your bunions, please contact our office in Columbus, Georgia, to schedule an appointment.