Bunions

A bunion is a bony bump that forms at the base of your big toe. Bunions develop on the inside edge of your big toe joint — the metatarsophalangeal (MTP) joint. The MTP joint is where the base of your big toe meets your foot. The medical term for bunions is hallux valgus.

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Visit a healthcare provider if you notice a bump on your big toe, especially if you’re experiencing pain, stiffness or numbness in your toes or feet.

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Types of bunions

Bunions on your big toe from extra pressure are the most common, but they can form on other toes and for other reasons, too. Other types of bunions include:

• Congenital bunions (congenital hallux valgus): Some babies are born with bunions.

• Juvenile or adolescent hallux valgus: These are types of bunions that affect people younger than 18.

• Tailor’s bunion (bunionettes): Tailor’s bunions form at the base of your little (pinky) toe. They’re usually the result of wearing shoes that don’t fit correctly or doing an activity that presses your little toe in toward your other toes.

 

How common are bunions?

Bunions are very common. Experts estimate that around one-third of Americans have bunions.

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What are the symptoms of a bunion?

The most obvious symptom of a bunion is the growth that forms at the base of your big toe. You can usually see and feel the bony bump. A bunion can cause other symptoms, including:

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• Pain or stiffness in your big toe.

• Swelling.

• Discoloration or redness.

• An inability to move or bend your big toe (you might feel pain or a burning feeling when you bend your toe).

• Difficulty wearing certain types of shoes, or pain that gets worse when you’re wearing shoes.

• Corns or calluses (thickened skin).

• Hammertoes (painful, tight toe tendons and joints).

• Numbness in or around your big toe.

 

What causes bunions?

There’s not just one reason why bunions develop. It’s thought that a combination of factors — like family history, abnormal bone structure, increased motion and shoe choice — can cause them. When something puts extra pressure on your big toe joint for a long time (usually years), that pressure can push your joint out of its natural alignment and toward your other toes. Eventually, a bunion forms on your MTP joint when your body compensates for your toe being pushed out of its usual place.

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The most common causes of extra pressure on your big toe joint include:

• Wearing narrow or pointed shoes that crowd your toes (shoes with a narrow toe box).

• The way you walk (your foot mechanics).

• Health conditions that cause inflammation (like rheumatoid arthritis or lupus).

• Standing for a long time or working on your feet.

 

Risk factors

Anyone can develop a bunion. Certain groups of people who are more likely to have bunions include:

• People assigned female at birth (AFAB).

• People whose biological parents have bunions or issues with their foot mechanics. More than 70% of people with bunions have a biological parent who’s had them.

• People with a history of foot injuries (including athletes).

 

Complications of bunions

Having a bunion may increase your risk of:

• Bursitis (painful, fluid-filled sacs around joints).

• Hammertoes.

• Osteoarthritis.

 

How are bunions diagnosed?

A healthcare provider will diagnose a bunion with a physical exam. They’ll examine your foot and ask about your symptoms. Tell your provider when you first noticed a bump near your big toe or if certain activities make your symptoms worse.

You might need to visit a podiatrist — a provider who specializes in caring for your feet.