Good foot care is often forgotten about but is key to maintaining a healthy body. At The Foot Pod in Karrinyup Perth, we believe in friendly and accessible footcare, so whether you have bunion issues or toenail pain, we will aim to help you resolve it.

In this article, however, we focus on bunions, a foot problem that affects many Australians.

What are bunions?

Bunions are a “bump” on the joint at the base of the big toe. They change over time when the bone or tissue at the big toe joint moves out of place. As they are gradual and progressive, they often take years to produce a prominent bump.

They are similar to a Tailor’s bunion but develop in different areas and cause different symptoms. A Tailor’s bunion develops on the opposite side of the foot and causes difficulty wearing shoes, pressure pain and painful callus formation.

Bunion deformities, however, tend to be more annoying than painful. They may cause swelling, redness and tenderness at the area where they have formed but are unlikely to cause the same amount of pain that a Tailor’s bunion would.

How do bunions happen?

While it is unknown exactly what causes bunion deformities, there are several factors which are said to contribute to them. These include:

• Genetics, including genetic diseases where ligaments are loose, such as Down Syndrome or Marfan Syndrome.
• Ill-fitting and overly tight shoes.
• Biomechanics of the foot.
• Arthritis.

The Foot Pod’s process of solving your bunions…

We at the Foot Pod offer several different treatment options available to solve your bunion issues.

1. Non-Surgical treatment options. 

Not all bunions require surgery as a treatment response, which is why we offer the following treatment options. Whilst these will not correct your bunion, they will likely provide pain relief.

• Padding the painful area.
• Providing shoes with extra-wide width.
• Wearing orthoses to relieve bunion-associated pain, and to prevent it from rapidly worsening.

2. Shockwave therapy for bunion treatment

Shockwave therapy isn’t as scary as it sounds. It involves the use of Radial Pressure Waves (RPW) to accelerate tissue and bone healing. In the case of bunions, they can reduce pain, promote new blood flow in the area, and normalise the muscle tone.

3. Surgical treatment options

Bunion surgery is an operation that takes 45 to 90 minutes. It generally involves removing the bunion, releasing tight ligaments and tightening loose ligaments. It may also involve cutting and realigning your first metatarsal.

Let The Foot Pod help you with our bunion treatment options!

Choosing which treatment option is best for you depends entirely on your needs and situation.

As time progresses, bunions and bunion-associated pain can worsen. If it’s at that level, or if you’d like to prevent it from reaching that level, contact us today. Our friendly and knowledgeable team would be happy to help you with any bunion or footcare issues. 

We are available online for appointment bookings OR call us on (08) 9246 7292.