Bunions are surprisingly common foot ailments that can cause significant discomfort. It is estimated that up to 25% of the population struggles with them. Bunions are very common among adults, but children can suffer from them as well.
If you are suffering from bunions, you will want to know what causes them and how to treat them. This can help you get the relief that you need and prevent the problem from worsening. You might also need to see a foot clinic to keep the problems in check.
What are some of the most common causes of bunions?
Foot problems need to be carefully managed. Bunions are no exception.
You are probably wondering how you developed bunions in the first place. Unfortunately, there is no single cause, which means that it can be difficult to pinpoint the underlying reason in any given case.
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There is ample evidence that bunions are often caused by genetic factors. However, your gait can also be a major contributing factor. People that wear footwear that changes their walking pattern are also at a high risk of getting bunions. Stilettos in particular are correlated with onions. People that work in jobs that require them to be on their feet for extended periods of time are also at a higher risk.
What steps can you take to minimize the problems bunions cause?
Bunions are unfortunately permanent unless they are surgically removed. However, there are a lot of steps that you can take to manage them better. Some of the best tips are listed below.
Try losing weight
Lots of studies have found connections between obesity and various foot problems. Bunions are no exception. Almost 30% of all people suffering from obesity also have bunions. Even gaining an extra 10 pounds can cause the risk of developing them to increase.
You are going to want to do everything that you can to maintain a healthy weight. Diet and exercise can help shed extra pounds and make bunions easier to live with. You might have to find exercises that help you stay off your feet if your bunions are really bad, though.
Use gel or moleskin shoe inserts
The right footwear can help ease the discomfort of bunions. You will want to try changing your footwear if that is a problem. However, it can be difficult to find the perfect shoes.
If buying a better fitting pair of shoes is not in the cards, then you might want to try adding inserts instead. Gel and moleskin inserts have been shown to help reduce the discomfort of bunions.
Avoid wearing narrow slippers at home
Wearing the wrong kind of slippers can also make the bunions worse. Narrow slippers might cause the big toe to push in words and create more friction, which can make bunions unbearable.
If you have really bad bunions, you might not want to wear any slippers at home. However, slippers are often necessary to reduce other foot issues, such as fungus. If this is a concern, then you will want to get white fitting slippers to wear at home instead of narrow ones.
Wear cushioned socks
The types of socks that you wear can also mitigate the discomfort caused by bunions. Thin socks don’t provide much padding between your feet and the surfaces that you’re walking on. You might want to try wearing thicker socks with better cushioning instead.
Use cruise control when driving on highways for large distances
Do you have a job that requires you to drive on the highway for extended periods of time? You might be putting a lot of extra stress on your foot if you have to keep it on the gas pedal the entire time. This is going to inevitably make your bunions worse.
You might want to try taking advantage of the cruise control. This will reduce the problems that bunions can cause. it might also have other benefits for your back and hip alignment as well.
Find ways to minimize the time that you spend on your feet
There are various things that you can do to provide better support and minimize friction when walking. However, you won’t be able to completely eliminate the issues that bunions caused as long as you have to be on your feet.
You need to find ways to avoid walking as much as you can. This can include consolidating tasks to minimize the number of trips you have to take during the day.