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A bunion or a redness are appearing on the inner side of your foot... Your big toe (hallux) wants to overlap its neighbour toe. You’re wondering if these symptoms are those of a bunion or hallux valgus? EPITACT® helps you clarify the bunion symptoms.
Bunion symptom No.1: redness and inflammation
The first bunion symptoms often go unnoticed. Redness can appear on the inner side of the foot where the big toe begins. This redness frequently leads to a corn, then becomes inflamed and eventually causes a bursitis. Pain is one of the first warning sign noticed by patients with this foot deformity.
Fortunately, even at this early stage, it is not too late to stop the process. To do so, you can wear the bunion protector* by EPITACT® which is particularly recommended in the case of frequent pain or when the deviation progresses and becomes painful.
Bunion symptom No. 2: contact and joint pain
Initially, contact pain with the footwear is slight, but it is progressively replaced by shooting joint pain. This is symptomatic of the first internal joint problems that are linked with a bunion or hallux valgus. They are especially due to the compression of the medial plantar nerve but also to friction between the soft parts of the foot and the shoe. These bunion symptoms manifest when wearing shoes, in particular with dress shoes (for example stilettos for women). Therefore, it is recommended to wear shoes adapted to the bunion.
At this stage of the condition, it is essential to remove the cause responsible for the deformity. For this purpose, wearing the flexible bunion corrector* for day use is recommended to reduce friction and to distribute pressure better. What’s more, this bunion support aims to reduce the deviation of the toe during the day. At night or during resting periods, the EPITACT® rigid bunion corrector* is more adapted to stop the progression of the condition by realigning the toe. Your general practitioner may also prescribe you medication to relieve pain.
Bunion symptom No.3: deformity of the forefoot and bunion
Among the core bunion symptoms, let’s not forget the deformities... Indeed, joint disorders contribute to the widening of the forefoot. Moreover, the double deviation of the hallux (big toe), first in valgus (outwards), then the first metatarsus in varus (inwards), progressively deforms the forefoot(1). By the way, the bunion is not an excrescence that has suddenly grown but is the result of the bony protrusion caused by the deviated first metatarsus. Wearing shoes can then become very complicated. The deformed and painful foot no longer fits in classical shoes and keeping on putting them just accelerates the process. Remind that hallux valgus is a deformity that cannot disappear over time.
That is how additional deformities related to the former ones worsen even more the situation. The other toes have less room because of the bulky bunion and may arch or overlap the others. This deformity can be referred to as hammer or claw toe. Due to the rubbing between the toes themselves or with the footwear, foot corns may develop.
To avoid this, it is recommended to isolate the toes with the Digitops* that soothe corns at the tip of the toes, or with the DIGITUBES®* for corns between the toes. For hammer or claw toes, the hammer toe cusions* will allow the toes to lie down comfortably and will reduce the pressure.
Bunion symptom No.4: metatarsalgia
The toes and the first metatarsus are deformed and deviated so they don’t properly carry out their support function. A lateral weight transfer becomes inevitable and gradually leads to metatarsalgia in the middle metatarsal bones (pain in the forefoot). The repeated pressure often results in the formation of plantar calluses and corns which can be painful and disabling.
Bunion symptom No.5: joint stiffness
Hallux valgus causes unusual stress of the joint that progressively entails joint stiffness. In the most severe cases, this process, which include signs of osteoarthritis, accelerates until the luxation of the toe at the first head of the metatarsal bone.
When the joint isn’t moving anymore, wearing a brace is contraindicated. A medical consultation with a specialist or even surgery are often the last effective options to treat severe cases of bunion.
These are the most common symptoms related to hallux valgus but others may be identified. All these signs should be considered as warnings to encourage people consulting a health professional as soon as possible. Foot care and regular monitoring associated with braces will be precious tools to reduce the progression of the condition and soothe the pain caused by a bunion.
*These products are class I medical devices that bear the CE marking under this regulation. Carefully read the instructions before use. Manufacturer: Millet Innovation. 04/2022
For more details about this general and simplified approach, here are further sources:
(1)Vanore JV, Christensen JC, Kravitz SR, Schuberth JM, Thomas JL, Weil LS, et al. Diagnosis and treatment of First Metatarsophalangeal Joint Disorders. Section 1: Hallux valgus . The Journal of Foot and Ankle Surgery. Mai 2003; 42(3):112‑23.