Help! I think I have a bunion

[ObamaSelf]

My foot (the side, where the base of the big toe bone sticks out) has been a bit painful for a few weeks so went to see dr today. He wants me to go for x-ray to see if it's a bunion. I thought only old ladies got them, after a lifetime of tight shoes and high heels! I'm only 35. Am I some kind of freak or do other people here have them?

I have one, it's not painful though.

Watching with interest. I'm 40 and seem to be getting little sticking-out bony bits on both feet where you describe. I'm annoyed because I also thought bunions were for people who ruin their feet with high heels and I'm a comfy trainers wearer.

Surprised at the x-ray though - I'd assumed if I went to the GP they'd go "Yes dear it's bunions, what do you want me to do about it, now feck off"

Yes I was expecting to be told it was my fault for wearing heels etc (even though I never wear REALLY high heels). But GP said it's a form of arthritis, that wear and tear on the joint erodes it.

Told DH about the wear and tear and he asked, well why it it only the left foot then?!!
dolcegusto - what about buying shoes though? Do you have to buy granny style wide-fit shoes?

i have one too only on my left foot and i'm not even 30 yet!! i was told that its because me feet roll inwards as i walk and that the muscle at the back of my calf is short

it can be quite painful at times, have been told i could have an op to correct it.

My big toe joints are enlarged too - but no pain and the toe is not moving across at an angle, which I think causes the real problems. I can't wear narrow shoes but most relatively sensible styles are OK - If I need high very high heels the cage type fronted ones, rather than ones with a low cut front or band across are OK. I've heard some horror stories about surgery and won't have it unless the joints get painful, though I did read yesterday that Paula Radcliffe was back running competitively 9 weeks after she had hers done.

I have one on my right foot, have had it nearly a year, its not painful just a bit of discomfort, I havent worn high heels for 9 years, i did wear a pair of shoes that were a little tight so i suppose its from that.

So is there anything to be done to stop it getting worse? I could live with it if it gets no worse than this. For example is there something you can put between the big toe and the next toe to correct it?

very interested in this thread - my dd is only 18 and i am sure she is showing signs of bunions - i always bought good shoes as she was growing, but i look at her feet now and dispair, she has flat feet, and very defiantly 'rolls' her feet as she walks - i am inisiting she go and speak to the doc about it.

I have bunions and have always worn comfortable flat shoes - (Ok the odd heels for occasions). It seems its because my ankles turn over. I now where orthtics (to stop the ankle turn)in an attempt to prevent further distortion. Its all a bit pricy the NHS only does surgery - Beech make sandals with spreader posts between each toe which are supposed to help - but they look er quirky.

Just had a look at those Beech sandals here. Never heard of them before but I'm tempted to give them a try. Not sure about the leopard-print slippers though!

Hi not to be a bunion shoe evangelist (!) but please try Meanfeet for good shoes for problems with bunions. They have really made my life easier anyway, they do sandals, winter ankle boots and a range of shoes from an Austrian "comfort" brand called Fidelio. What's really good is they have extra padding in the bit where the toe joint sticks out, it doesn't show but it means it's a lot less sore when you walk. Also if your podiatrist says you need to have special orthotics these styles are fine to take out the insoles and put the orthotics in. Good luck!

DB and I were told separately that ours were hereditary (Mum had them) and both been advised against the operation. There is a gadget to wear in bed, supposedly effective but not tried this yet.
Thanks for info about Meanfeet, much appreciated.

Notoriusly painful surgery for most people, sorry. Non-weight-bearing for weeks - also true. It is a bit of a bugger tbh, you have to be quite sure about the operation.

I've had them for years (now 44), and I rarely wear high shoes. I just have wide feet and simply by wearing mid-heeled/regular shoes over the years the bunions have slowly built up. They ache sometimes but mostly it is just inconvenient. My right foot is worse than the left.

My mum had them too. She's had the op, but I won't need one for a while; it is quite painful with long recovery.

There's not much wiggle room tbh - you cut into the metatarsal of the big toe and remodel it into a better shape, holding it with metalwork of some kind. It's going to sting whatever kit you use...

Have a look at footcare4me.com -plenty of helpful products there.

Mine has been around for about a year, and only on my left foot! It's painful, especially after a day in shoes. Dr says if it's like this now (at 40), it will only get worse and I will certainly need an op sooner or later. It's not really to do with the shoe type, but tight/high heeled shoes can make it worse. It's genetic, and having fallen arches makes it worse. Orthotic insoles for the arches can help. I got a gel cushion thing from Boots (£6 ish) that is stretchy round your foot and has the gel pad over bunion...this makes shoe-wearing more comfy. I saw that they also sell devices for gently correcting the bone deformation.

My GP recommended this site Dr Foot for excellent information.

Much sympathy for this horrible thing, and for feeling like an old lady too early!!

My nannas bunion is handy for forecasting rain - it goes v red and throbs......she gets it right more than gmtv weather does .

I too have bunions on both feet. Sometimes very painful but have also heard the surgery is painful with a long recovery and that they can grow back again.

But I adore high heels and would rather suffer the pain than wear any of those shoes on the above sites!

Stop the press!! Just heard from a friend who works in production that This Morning are doing a feature on bunions tomorrow morning; I know!! Apparently it's about what to do if you don't want/need the operation and it talks about the Fidelio bunion shoes and sandals which I got from the meanfeet website Meanfeet You heard it here first!!

I had them. I'd got to the stage where I could only get one pair of shoes on my feet, they were so bad. My surgeon was very helpful and did both feet at the same time. I knew if I'd just had one done, I'd never have had the second one done. It was painful, but not excruciatingly so.

It's been over ten years since I had them done and I still have lovely straight toes.

I had one on my right foot.

It first appeared when I was about 10, and got gradually worse until I could take it no more.

It was operated on when I was the grand old age of 27, there was nothing else that would have sorted mine out. Fabulous. Scarfe osteotomy and soft tissue release was the actual procedure, in and out of surgery in 90 minutes, 6 weeks in bandages with a very fetching sandal. Will stick a pic on my profile of before and after.

I still have to buy wide-fitting shoes, but there are definitely more and more available on the market now so it's not just granny shoes New Look, Next and even Primark have wide-feet ranges now.

the sandals I got last season for my bunions at meanfeet site are not available in my size! does anyone know of any other companies selling fidelio hallux bunion shoes? i like the new ones, but the alice is my favourite. there are so many wide fits to pick from, but need that bunion stretch thing, help?