How Physiotherapy Can Help With Your Bunions

What are bunions? 

A bunion (Hallux Valgus) is a bony bump that develops on the inside of the foot at the base of the big toe. A bunion can be uncomfortable and may even become painful if ignored. Bunions can interfere with daily activities, making them difficult to manage. 

Thankfully, there are a number of lifestyle changes and exercises that can relieve your bunion pain, increase mobility, and possibly slow the progression of your bunion. 

Top 3 Symptoms of Bunions

Bunions are usually not difficult to identify, due to the physical nature of the condition; it causes a bony lump on the outside of the big toe joint. However, it can be more difficult to identify the signs of bunions before they are fully formed. The top three symptoms of bunions are:

1. soreness and pain in the foot and toe – especially when wearing shoes or walking
2. limited mobility and movement of the toe 
3. swelling, redness, and calluses of the skin around the bunion 

What Causes Bunions and Your Risk Factors 

Bunions are caused from a build-up of pressure of the big toe joint over time, usually over a number of years. Eventually, the big toe joint goes out of alignment, causing the bunion. This pressure can arise from the way you walk, ill-fitting shoes, or the shape of your foot. What exactly causes bunions and how to prevent them occurring is still not well understood, but there are a number of risk factors identified that can help you to stay pain free: 

• wearing ill-fitting shoes, usually high heels or narrow shoes, can exacerbate pain as they encourage your toes to be close together 
• bunions are more common in women
• bunions are also linked to other conditions, such as rheumatoid arthritis 
• previous injuries to the foot

How can Physiotherapy Help? 

Physio for Bunions  

Do you have pain or swelling in your toe or a sore foot caused by a bunion? At City Physiotherapy Adelaide, we are more than equipped to assist you in prevention and with treatment. 

Gait Improvement 

Your physiotherapist can evaluate your feet and how you walk. We conduct a gait analysis to determine your level of pronation and supination during various movements, especially in single-leg activities such as single-leg standing, walking or running. During this, we’ll take notice of your biomechanics to determine if any imbalances could be contributing to your gait issues. 

Range of Motion Exercises and Stretching 

There are a number of exercises and foot stretches that increase the range of motion of your feet. These are designed for both treatment and prevention, depending on how much your bunion has progressed. The following exercises relieve pain and stiffness in your toe and toe joint, helping your feet feel healthy again! 

Following a thorough assessment of you and your foot’s level of mobility, your physiotherapist will determine the exercises that best suit your needs. The following exercises give you an idea of what you might be expected to do, as they work together to relieve pain and stiffness in your toe and toe joint, helping your feet feel healthy again. 

• Toe circles. This is self explanatory – move your toe around in a circle, and then repeat in the opposite direction. 
• Points and curls – This is again self explanatory. Curl the toe away from your face, and then flex the toe back towards you, and repeat for 1-2 minutes. 
• Ball rolling – place a massage or tennis ball on the ground, and then roll your foot back and forth over the ball. 

Further exercises that your physiotherapist may conduct with you include hip, leg or foot strengthening. Often, the root cause of feet pain stems from a problem in the hip, knee, or ankle, because all muscles and joints in the leg work together when doing everyday activities such as walking. 

Soft Tissue Mobilisation 

Your physiotherapist may also determine that remedial massage or dry needling will be appropriate remedies for your foot pain resulting from bunions. This will depend on your pain levels, mobility, and condition. 

Other Remedies For Bunions

There are a number of other remedies available that can relieve the symptoms of bunions. 

• Wear proper-fitting shoes that are wide around the toes and have low heels. Read our guide for choosing a proper pair of running shoes here. 
• Protective pads can provide support and cushioning to relieve additional pressure on the bunion. 
• Shoe inserts can distribute the pressure on your foot as you walk, which can prevent your bunion from getting worse. 

Contact City Physio Adelaide to enquire about an initial consultation with one of our physiotherapists. Call 8212 4886 or book online using the button below for an appointment.

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