Foot help: Bunions!

jenniewb

Have been told by an orthopedic doctor (NHS one) I have the beginnings of bunions. I was actually seeing him about something totally different which turned out to be 3 different issues so the bunion thing became ignored as it wasn't as serious.

I have no pain when walking but my foot shape is changing and I cannot wear many shoes now as the area rubs and then bleeds, blister plasters are just rubbish at helping as are padded socks or padded plasters. Not such an issue as I generally live in flat "sensible" shoes and have been wearing orthopedic insoles in my shoes anyway (given by said doctor a few months ago now.) for an over-pronation (over pronations can apparently be another reason why bunions appear.

I just wondered if there is anything I can do to prevent them becoming worse? I don't wear heels/pointy shoes, haven't done so for the past 7 or 8 years now. I run but wear trainers for an over-pronation. I wear orthotics in day to day shoes...

I also wonder if anyone has any ideas on footwear other then Birkenstocks as I am just so bored of them as I lived in them as a student. Moved onto Fitflops but after 3 years of wearing them I really want to wear something different!

busiscoming2

I had bunions which were at times very painful when I was a teenager. I had an operation to have them corrected when I was 18 and they have been pain free since. That was 30 years ago.

I had no idea what could cause them (I wore decent shoes most of the time) and had to Google pronation to find out what it was. Well! looking at the images that is obviously how mine came to be! I didn't know I had an 'awkward' (for want of a better term) posture until I started going to Yoga about a year ago and was taught how how to make the body stand up properly IYKWIM.

Sorry, but I don't have recommendations for different footwear, just trying to stand how I am supposed to.

Birdie85

I have a bunion on my right foot, and what looks like the beginning of one on my left I think it's been caused by over pronation too, I had been given some exercises by the Dr to strengthen my ankles (loop a yoga band/pair of tights round a chair leg, the other end around your ankle and pull sideways against it), I really need to improve my posture though as my knees ache if I stand up straight for too long (which isn't that long! Not good!), might start yoga if it's done busiscoming some good!

Shoe suggestions; I was told no super flat shoes like ballet slippers/normal flip flops, everything must have a proper shaped rubber sole (I live in FitFlops!). Get wide fitting shoes and wear your orthopaedic insoles in them. Even if your feet aren't 'technically' wide, the bunion will rub on normal width shoes and the more it rubs the worse it gets, I really noticed a difference for the better when I got some wide fitting shoes for work, the pressure on my feet was gone. I was also recommended to get full shoes that fasten on the top of the foot (like lace-ups) for the extra support rather than lower down (like Mary-Janes), it's funny how it makes a difference. I've recently bought some Sketchers Tone-Ups and they seem to be quite good for walking in as they've got the same 'corrective' sole idea as FitFlops and I can feel myself walking better in them.

Not_a_Newbie

I had the bunion on my right foot operated on last July. I would say that I am now only just getting close to being 100% fully recovered.

From what I read prior to having the surgery, once your bone has started becoming deformed then there is nothing (apart from surgery) that can be done to correct it, and more often than not it does continue to get worse. You can however, wear shoes that are more comfortable and that don't irritate the area, to make it easier to live with.

Unfortunately (for me) by the time I had my operation I was at the stage where I was suffering from bunion pain even when I was lying down! So changing shoes did not work for me.

In my opinion, having the operation was the best thing I did and I now I wish I had done it sooner, but at the time I didn't think so, as my recovery was horrendous.

Birdie85

I would really like to have mine operated on before it gets so bad I'm in pain all the time but my Doctor refused to even entertain the idea until it is so painful I can barely walk, which seems a bit extreme! Surely it'd be better to be more proactive whilst I'm still young so the recovery is easier to deal with and I can handle physio etc better, and I'd imagine the operation would be easier since it's not so big?

Going to have to save up to go private

busiscoming2

I had both my feet done at the same time. After my surgery I was in plaster from my toes to my knees for 6 weeks and the worst part was the dreadful pain on trying to walk after the heels had been put on (wasn't allowed out of bed before then) about two days after surgery, but it only lasted a very short while. Once the plaster came off I remember the only footwear I could wear for about 3 weeks were a Jesus type sandal (not nice when you are 18!) but it wasn't long before I could manage other footwear.

Not_a_Newbie

busiscoming2 wrote: »

I had both my feet done at the same time. After my surgery I was in plaster from my toes to my knees for 6 weeks and the worst part was the dreadful pain on trying to walk after the heels had been put on (wasn't allowed out of bed before then) about two days after surgery, but it only lasted a very short while. Once the plaster came off I remember the only footwear I could wear for about 3 weeks were a Jesus type sandal (not nice when you are 18!) but it wasn't long before I could manage other footwear.

Oh dear, poor you. Thankfully correcting bunions has gotten a little more sophisticated than 30 years ago.

I had mine done under local ansthetic. The deformed bit was chiseled, my toe was broken and then reattached in a straight position with two screws. I wasn't in plaster but had to stay off my foot for a week and had crutches for 3 weeks. I also had to wear one of those horrible hospital shoes for 6 weeks as one of the screws had come loose, so I had to give it more time for the bone to grow around the screw to keep it in position. Then I could only wear trainers for a couple of months after that. And also something worth noting is that I couldn't drive until about week 5, which meant I was off work until that point.

Birdie85, although I am so glad I had mine done, it is not a very nice procedure (much worse than any of the ops I've had to date), so think very hard before you take the plunge.

Although I was told that it can take a year to be fully recovered I didn't actually believe it. I consider myself a relatively fit and healthy 39 yo and as I said in an earlier post, I still only now feel as if I am getting to be 100% recovered. And I still get the odd stabbing excruciating pain if I bang it.

jenniewb

Thanks so much for your replies everyone- I called and spoke to NHS direct who also seem to think there is nothing that can be done bar having an operation. Its not the op that scares me, its the not being able to walk or exercise for so long afterwards, a week would drive me to despair (no really- I have a long history of eating disorders and being able to exercise is what prevents me relapsing!) so several weeks scares the life out of me!

I see though that what everyone is saying is that this thing will only get worse, there is nothing I can do only ease any oncoming pain. Already there are many shoes I cannot wear due to pain they create but open toe sandals seem fine. I can see this not working so well in the summer months so will be asking my GP if there is any list I can join, these things seem to have progressed very very quickly: a year ago they simply were not there. Now I can see and feel what looks like a huge extra bone....this thing really is scaring me!

I have a doctors appointment about something else tomorrow and will ask if the doctor can take a quick look even if it means waiting until the end of the surgery.

Had seen Boots sell toe straighteners, they claim not to stop the condition but to slow its progression so its worth a thought I guess. But they are £15 each which is so expensive for me: thats an entire pair of shoes! I'd need to know they are worth trying, if these things are going to get worse with or without them it seems like very little point...

Just a quick question though: does anyone know that if you have the operation, is that it for life? or could they still come back again? Am only 30, this is so new to me! In the past few months I've found I have a stress fracture, a sprained ankle (grade 2) which is healing slower then I ever thought possible (showed on bone scan) have osteoperena, have cartilidge damage in my knees and am beginning an investigation on hip pain I have which has progressivly gotten worse.... Its like I turned 30 and it all started to go at the same time, kinda scared of whats going to happen next!

Not_a_Newbie

jenniewb wrote: »

Had seen Boots sell toe straighteners, they claim not to stop the condition but to slow its progression so its worth a thought I guess. But they are £15 each which is so expensive for me: thats an entire pair of shoes! I'd need to know they are worth trying, if these things are going to get worse with or without them it seems like very little point...

Just a quick question though: does anyone know that if you have the operation, is that it for life? or could they still come back again? Am only 30, this is so new to me! In the past few months I've found I have a stress fracture, a sprained ankle (grade 2) which is healing slower then I ever thought possible (showed on bone scan) have osteoperena, have cartilidge damage in my knees and am beginning an investigation on hip pain I have which has progressivly gotten worse.... Its like I turned 30 and it all started to go at the same time, kinda scared of whats going to happen next!

Firstly, good luck at the doctors. If you are having that much pain, the doctor should have no problem referring you to see a specialist.

Secondly, I wouldn't bother with the Boots product, I very much doubt that these would work.

Finally, I was told that unfortunately there is no guarantee that the problem doesn't re-occur again. Although one of the posters had had hers done 30 years ago and has had no problems since. There is plenty of information on the different types of procedures on the web. It's definitely worth while having a read of it.

jenniewb

Thanks!
Saw doctor today, it was actually for another issue so I was wary of taking up her time talking about something I had not originally booked for, I did a self referal and that seems to be OK to do. I have no idea how long it will take and have a follow up appointment for the different issue next week so I'll ask then.

I spoke to NHS direct and they mentioned there were several different operations, I just really am still hoping that I don't need one though as there seems to be nothing I'm doing to have caused this to happen, there seems to be little chance of them going away by themselves. I am going to wait for the podiatrist appointment I self referred to before I panic or read up on anything (in this mindset I don't trust myself to read anything and not read it as negative) but lets just say I am worried!

belfastgirl23

Have you been trying any of the preventative exercises to keep the joint mobile? See here http://www.drfoot.co.uk/Exercises_For_Bunions.htm for more details. I do know someone who had the beginnings of a bunion and tried this and it really worked for her. And it's not overly intrusive so if it doesn't work, nothing lost