Health Tip: Preventing Bunions

(HealthDay News) -- Bunions are hard, painful bumps that appear on the big toe joint. Bunions appear most often in women, and are usually caused by wearing fashionable tight, pointy and narrow high-heeled shoes that constrict the foot.

Once a bunion has formed, according to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, the joint may continue to swell and become more and more red and painful. Walking may become difficult, and the bunion may even cause arthritis and misalignment of other toes.

The most effective way to prevent bunions is by wearing comfortable, correctly fitting shoes. They should be wide in the instep and in the toes, and have cushioned soles and a heel no higher than 2 1/4 inches. If you already have a bunion, you can wear cushioned pads inside the shoe to protect the joint from further damage.

In some cases, the bunion may be so severe that surgery is necessary.

-- Diana Kohnle

Last Updated: June 3, 2006