3 Ways to Treat Bunions & Avoid Surgery
A bunion is a painful disorder of the big toe that causes the toe to push into the other toes, with a large bump forming on the top or side of the big toe in the process. Bunion complications tend to develop slowly which is why many people avoid dealing with them until they become harder to treat.
It’s best to start treating bunions early when the toe is still flexible to avoid the need for future toe straightening surgery.
3 non-invasive treatments for bunions that can help to avoid future surgery include the following:
1) Physical therapy exercises—A variety of physical therapy exercises for the toes and feet will help retain and improve tendon strength and flexibility. Marble pick-up with the toes and towel scrunching exercises are both very effective.
2) Wear properly fitted shoes with a wide toe box—Properly fitted shoes with a wide toe box will keep your feet supported and allow room for the bunion to prevent rubbing and blistering.
3) Use bunion night braces and custom orthotics—A bunion brace with velcro straps is worn while sleeping to pull the bent toe back into position. When you are wearing properly fitted shoes, custom-formed and placed orthotic shoe inserts can help direct pressure away from the bunion.
It’s best to have bunions treated early in their formation since they can become more rigid and painful as time goes on. In the case of a severely bent and rigid big toe, bunion surgery will most likely be required to reduce the size of the bunion bump and straighten out the toe.
For help with your bunions and to avoid future complications see your foot doctor. The foot experts at Desert Podiatric Medical Specialists, in the Tucson, Oro Valley, and Green Valley areas of Pima County, Arizona, have unparalleled experience in treating all aspects of foot and ankle care. Our team of doctors: Christopher M. Funk, D.P.M., FACFAS, Bradley A. Whitaker, D.P.M., FACFAS, and Peter C. Merrill, D.P.M., AACFAS, and Zeno Pfau, D.P.M., is dedicated to serving you with state-of-the-art, cutting edge medical technologies including the PinPointe FootLaser, custom-fitted orthotics, and Radial Pulse Therapy (RPT) for chronic foot, heel, or ankle pain. If you have any questions or would like to make an appointment, please call
