A bunion (hallux valgus) is a sometimes painful structural deformity of the bones and the joint between the foot and big toe.A bunion is an enlargement of bone or tissue around the joint at the base of the big toe.If you have a bunion, you will notice a bump on your big toe joint. The big toe may turn in toward the second toe (displacement), and the tissues surrounding the joint may be swollen and tender.
Bunions are most often caused by an inherited faulty mechanical structure of the foot. It is not the bunion itself that is inherited, but certain foot types that make a person prone to developing a bunion.
Although wearing shoes that crowd the toes won't actually cause bunions in the first place, it sometimes makes the deformity get progressively worse.
Bunions are not only associated with an enlarged bony bump at the big toe joint. Bunions are commonly associated with a deviated position of the big toe where it leans in towards the second toe; and the deviation in the angle between the first and second metatarsal bones of the foot. The small sesamoid bones found beneath the first metatarsal (they help the flexor tendon bend the big toe downwards) may also become deviated over time as the first metatarsal bone drifts away from its normal position.
Arthritis of the great toe joint, diminished and/or altered range of motion, and discomfort with pressure applied to the bump or with motion of the joint, may all accompany bunion development.
The symptoms of bunions include:
* Swelling or enlargement of the metatarsophalangeal joint at the base of the big toe.
* Displacement of the big toe toward the other toes.
* Joint redness.
* Joint pain.
* Skin irritation over the bunion.
Source:
Wikipedia
All text is available under the terms of the
GNU Free Documentation License
Bunions
Linear Mode
