How do people get bunions?

Answer 1

Common Causes of BunionsWhile developing my home bunion treatment, I spent a lot of time trying to answer the all important question: what's the cause of my bunions? I figured that as long as I had no clue as to where my bunions came from, it would be impossible to choose from the bunion cures and treatments I found. ShoesAlmost all resources I consulted mention restrictive footwear (narrow, high heeled, and pointed shoes) as one of the most important causes of bunion development. I didn't find that explanation very satisfactory though - my big toes had already started bending towards the others well before I wore my first pair of pointed - and not extremely high heeled - shoes at age 20 or 21.

But I do admit that the shoes I've worn in the past may have accelerated the development of my bunions. It turns out that in societies were people don't wear shoes, bunions are almost non-existent. That convinced me of the fact that there indeed must be a relation between my bunions and the shoes I (used to) wear.

By wearing pointed shoes and high heels you put more pressure on the joint of the big toe and the bone leading up to it (the first metatarsal bone). The area gets irritated and swollen as a result. When it rubs against the inside of your shoe - what happens when you're wearing narrow shoes - bunions may start to develop. (I think this is the main reason why these celebrities developed bunions on their feet.)

Inheritance?And what about inheritance? Could it be that I'm prone to developing bunions just because my mother has them (and my grandmother did as well)? And one of my sisters has bunions too. (My other sister has very nice feet, with beautiful straight toes - you'll understand I envy her each time I see her feet!)

Podiatrists however agree that inheritance isn't a major factor in developing bunions. But what you do inherit are your foot type and the nature of your ligaments.

A certain foot structureNot all feet are the same. Some people (like myself) are born with a foot type that makes bunions more likely to develop. When the bone leading up to your big toe (the first metatarsal bone) is relatively short or elevated, this makes you roll in your ankle as you walk. Rolling in your ankle means added pressure on the big toe joint.

You can read more about this subject on my page about orthotics.

Loose ligamentsAnother condition that can be inherited is the nature of our ligaments. If they are loose (like mine are), our feet and ankles are very flexible. Again, we are more likely to roll in our ankles as we walk, thus over taxing the joint between our big toe and the bone leading up to it (the first metatarsal bone). Way of walkingHowever, our way of walking is not only determined by our foot structure and the nature of our ligaments. It's also determined by the surface we walk on each and every day. This surface doesn't vary a lot anymore - most of the time it's quite level. But walking on a level surface that much is not what the human foot was designed for.

I always notice this when we're on a walking holiday (me and my husband are avid walkers). I can walk a lot longer on uneven terrain than I can on a paved road. On a paved road your feet have to subdue the same amount and kind of pressure step after step. It is possible that this causes a type of repetitive strain injury - with bunions as a result. (But I'm not willing to give up walking - yet!)

Certain activitiesExcept walking long distances on a level surface there are more activities that can cause bunions. Like Ballet dancing for instance. Activities like these put added pressure on your big toe joint. And more pressure always increases the chance of bunions developing. Arthritis of the big toeThough I personally don't suffer from Arthritis (damage to the joints - in this case the big toe joints), I want to mention it here as a possible cause of bunion development. Arthritis can be caused by an infection, but it can also be one of the consequences of aging.

Answer 2

One way is if you wear high heels for a long period of time from young to old, as a result, you get bunions!! CONGRATULATIONS!