Need an Appointment Immediately? Call (801) 505-5277 or Click Here
Bunions look like big bumps or lumps at the base of your big toe joint. But they’re not. A bunion is actually a big toe joint that’s shifted out of its normal position. If you have bunions, you might have inherited them.
You’re also more likely to develop bunions if you have arthritis in your toes or if your foot is injured or traumatized. Contrary to popular opinion, you can’t give yourself bunions by wearing tight or pointed shoes. However, that kind of footwear could make your bunions worse and certainly make them hurt.
At Advanced Foot & Ankle Center, our board-certified podiatrists consider your feet the base point of your health. When your feet are functional and pain-free, the rest of you fares better, too. At our offices throughout Utah, we help your feet stay comfortable, whether you have bunions or not.
So if high heels don’t cause bunions, why shouldn’t you wear them? A few reasons follow.
Especially if your shoes have a narrow or pointed toe box, high heels put tremendous pressure on your toes and the balls of your feet. Your entire body weight is transferred to the balls and toes, adding pressure to the sesamoids, which are pea-shaped bones underneath the big toe.
The pressure from the height and the narrow box also change the position of your toes, squashing them together. This not only exacerbates bunion pain, but can cause painful corns and calluses.
When the ball of your foot bears most of your weight, and your heel is elevated, your foot, ankle, knee, and thigh may all be affected by that instability. As the balls of our feet try to gain traction, it can throw the rest of your body off balance.
Your toes grapple for a grip on the ground, creating even more stress. They may even start to bend downward, into “claws,” trying to create more stability.
For whatever reasons, Gen Z has — for the most part — ditched high heels, especially when clubbing. Flat shoes with roomy toes are not only more comfortable, they allow you greater range of motion.
One group of researchers who studied older adults and foot problems would agree with Gen Z’s choice of supportive shoes as a way to avoid hind-foot pain as they age. This study found that about 64% of women who had heel pain wore high heels on a regular basis.
If your bunions squeal when you squeeze them into high heels, pay attention. Continuing to wear high-heeled shoes can lead to complications such as worsened bunions and hammer toes.
Bunion pain is a sign that your feet need care. That may mean more than switching out shoes, too. We may recommend customized orthotics that hold your feet in healthy alignment in your (not high-heeled) shoes.
If your bunions have progressed to the point where no shoes are comfortable, you may benefit from bunion surgery. These procedures may:
Find out how you can keep your bunions from causing daily pain; call our team closest to you or book your appointment online today.
