Are Your Shoes Giving You Bunions?

By: Dr Christopher Segler .... Click on the author's name to view their profile and articles!!!

I saw a friend of mine at a coffee shop and he introduced me to his wife. He explained to her I was a foot surgeon. She launched into a tale of nightmare shoe shopping episodes, of pain with every new pair, and thinking that each would make her bunions gets worse. Then she asked, "Do shoes cause bunions?"

As a foot surgeon, this is one of the most frequent questions I get. The fact is shoes do not cause bunions; genetics cause bunions. If you have bunions you likely inherited them from your mother, father or grandparents. If you take a close look at the feet at a family gathering you can likely figure out who gifted you with the genes that led to your bunions.

Now, having said that shoes don't cause bunions, let me clarify by saying that shoes can (and often do) make them much worse. Wearing high-heeled shoes can significantly increase the stress on your big toe joint. All of that increased stress can lead to instability in the joints of the mid-foot that actually accelerates the speed with which a bunion forms.

So although it might have taken 40 or 50 years to develop a bunion wearing flat shoes, the same person may develop bunions 10 to 20 years earlier just because of the extra strain caused by high-heeled shoes. Even if the shoes don't have a gigantic heel, the shape of the shoe itself can also contribute to the early formation of a bunion. For instance, cramped pointy-toed shoes can push your big toe into a position that contributes to the development of a bunion.

Also, shoes with a seam that runs right over the bump (bursa), as well as tight shoes, can make the bunion much more irritated and painful. Often times, tight shoes will cause bursitis (irritation of the bursa) or inflammation of the big toe joint. When this happens the bunion can become red, tender and inflamed.

The obvious solution to this is to avoid shoes that will likely cause bunions by increasing the amount of stress on the big toe joint. This means wear sensible shoes. Shop for shoes that have only a moderate heel; two inches or less. Use common sense.

If you have a function to attend such as a wedding, formal ball or charity event, it is unlikely that one night in pretty shoes will do any long-term harm. Just don't wear stilettos every day. Also make sure that you avoid shoes with seams or stitching that will press or rub on the big toe joint further irritating the bunion.

So what is the bottom line on shoes and bunions? Well, have fun, shop for shoes, dress up when you need to be don't go overboard on the high heels or pointy shoes. Even though you might not be able to do much about your inherited genes, it isn't necessarily true that you'll wind up with painful bunions.

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While shoes don't necessarily cause bunions, certain shoes can (and often do) make them much worse. Wearing shoes with high heels can significantly increase the stress on the big toe joint. All of that increased stress can lead to instability in the joints of the mid-foot that actually accelerates the speed with which a bunion forms.

Dr. Christopher Segler is an author, inventor and award winning foot doctor with a surgical podiatry practice in Chattanooga. He invented the patented surgical instrument that simplifies flatfoot surgery and bunion surgery. He publishes articles and teaches other surgeons about his unique methods to decrease pain after foot surgery. You can order a FREE copy of his informative book about common causes of foot pain at www.anklecenter.com.

Note: The content of this article solely conveys the opinion of its author, Dr Christopher Segler