Bunions are a bone growth. They can either happen on your big toe or on your little toe – tailor’s bunion. If you have a bunion it can’t be a lot of fun sometimes. But there are things that you can do to help manage the pain.
Make sure your shoes are wider. There are some running shoes that have a bunion pocket built into the shoe itself. So the shoe has a stretch pad built right in. The stretch pad helps your bunion get a little bit of relief inside the shoe. You can find the same type of stretch pad in some sandals to help you get relief. Think about bunions as a response to stress. When you go to the gym and you’re lifting weights you’re pumping iron and your body’s response is to grow. Your muscles grow bigger as a response to stress. When your arch collapses as you’re walking all of your pressure is on your big toe joint. Your big toe joint gets all this pressure and goes “woah what’s happening why do I have all this stress on me?!” So the natural reaction of the big toe joint is to grow bigger. It then slides over the second and third toe has an over-under effect and there is your bunion causing problems with shoe fit.
So if you do have a bunion, make sure you wear an orthotic. An orthotic supports your foot and prevents your arch from falling and prevents the big toe from loading stress. Also if you have hardwood floors or ceramic tiles in your house, please wear a sandal that has support under your arch. It’ll help take pressure off of that big toe joint.
Most Orthotics are covered by extended healthcare plans if you have a prescription from your medical dr. Come in and talk to us and we’ll be happy to help. Call Burlington Orthotic Centre today at 905-331-4391 for details.
