A simple bunion is an abnormal bump of bone that is formed at the head of our old friend, the first metatarsal bone. The bunion can either be on the top or side of the first metatarsal bone. In a more advanced bunion deformity, called Hallux Abducto Valgus, there starts to be a movement of the big toe toward the second toe. The most severe bunion is when the first toe not only moves toward the second toe, but it overlaps or underlaps the second toe. Bunions can cause swelling of the feet to occur.
Mild bunions are abnormal “bumps of bone” formed on the side of the big toe joint or on the top of the big toejoint.
If untreated, a bunion can ultimately lead to a more serious arthritic condition of the joint or to a serious dislocation of the great toe causing overlapping or underlapping of the big toe onto the 2nd toe. This problem has the medical name of Hallux Abduto Valgus. Even a mild bunion can make you walk improperly, which in turn can lead to pains of your arch, leg and or back. After treating patients for over a third of a century I feel the number one reason for a person to have bunions is due to a Morton’s Toe caused by Inheritance. (see Video below) We inherit our feet from our parents the same way we inherit many other traits. If mom or dad had a foot that was prone to forming bunions, you will have the tendency to acquire the same type of foot. It is not usual to see three generations of a family with the same type of bunion problems. To a much lesser extent poor posture and ill-fitting shoes may also be responsible for the formation of a bunion.
Another type of bunion which some patients experience is what is known as a TAILOR’S BUNION or Bunionette. It is located on the opposite side of the foot where bunions normally appear, around the little toe joint, and emerges as something of a smaller bump, then the regular bunion. In its early stages, the measures for relieving bunion pain at home are relatively uncomplicated. Warm water foot soaks may bring considerable, although transitory relief, as does cutting shoes out over the bunion. If conservative measures do not relieve the pain and deformity, it may be time to refer your bunion problem to your podiatrist. Please do not assume foot surgery is automatically needed to treat bunion problems. In fact foot surgery for bunions should always be a last resort. There are many ways to treat them without surgery. Such treatments as Physical Therapy, Orthotics, padding and strapping (to treat the Morton’s Toe), and medications have proven to be some of the highly successful non-surgical treatments used in the Ambulatory Foot Clinic to treat bunions.
Here is something about bunions written about 6 months ago
What are Bunions?
A simple bunion is an abnormal bump of bone that is formed at the head of the first metatarsal bone. The bunion can either be on the top or side of the first metatarsal bone. In a more advanced bunion deformity, called Hallux Abducto Valgus, there starts to be a movement of the big toe toward the second toe. The most severe bunion is when the first toe not only moves toward the second toe, but it overlaps or under laps the second toe.
If a simple bunion bump is formed, there is a good chance Mother Nature will step in and produce a shock absorber that will protect the bunion bump. This shock absorber is called a bursa. A bursa is a fluid-containing sac. With time and enough irritation, the sac (bursa) that is protecting the bunion can become swollen, inflamed, and sore. This problem is known as bursitis.
Bunions and the Morton’s Toe
Over the years, the one constant that I have seen with patients who have bunions is a short first metatarsal bone and/or hypermobility of the first metatarsal bone, (Morton’s Toe) due to inheritance. We know that Morton’s Toe, Long Second Toe. takes place at the first metatarsal bone, so it makes sense you will have a lot of abnormal stresses and strains at that area. Because of this, bunions can and do exist. But the reason for the bunions is due to pronation that is caused by the Morton’s Toe.
Also many times bunions are secondary to Flat Feet, that is caused by Morton’s Toe or the Long Second Toe
Morton’s Toe and Pronation: The reason we get bunions.
Hypermobilty at the first metatarsal bone is one of the two hallmarks of having a Morton’s Toe . It is this hypermobility that causes us to get bunions .
This is what happens: In a hypermobile foot there is excess motion cause by pronation. This pronation cause the first metatarsal bone to be unstable and move upwardly , turn inwardly and move inwardly. As the pronation gets worst because of an untreated Morton’s Toe, Long Second Toe, abnormal tension will be applied by the Adductor Hallicus muscle. This abnormal tension also cause the bunion to form by pulling th bunion joint abnormally apart. This stress can also cause arthritis to occur in the bunion joint it self.
A lot has been written about how shoes are a major cause of bunions. I can agree with that, but only up to a point. Believe it or not, at one time or another there are some people who insist on wearing shoes that are incorrect for them. Do all of these people have bunions or other foot problems? Of course not. The ones who end up getting foot problems are the ones born with the poor combination of having a short metatarsal bone, and/or hypermobility of the first metatarsal bone. The truth is, though, if you insist on constantly wearing shoes that are not right for you, then there is a strong likelihood that you not only will get bunions, but most of the other problems in my book, regardless of how normal your feet are. In any case, if your bunions don’t hurt leave them alone.
A bunion is an enlargement of the big toe bone and it joint. . This joint, which carries lots of weight, is stiff and sore, making even the wearing of shoes difficult or impossible Bunions form when the normal balance of forces that is exerted on the joints and foot’s tendons becomes disrupted–leading to foot deformity. They are brought about by years of abnormal motion and pressure over the big toe joint. It is acknowledged that bunions run in families. One theory advanced by Dr. Burton S. Schuler, a practicing podiatrist for over 36 years, Director of the Ambulatory Foot Clinic in Panama City, Florida, and author of Why You Really Hurt: It All Stars in the Foot, is that it is not necessarily bunions that are inherited but toe length, and toe stability which can lead to the development of bunions .
On inheritance and the foot, Schuler indicates that one of the most commonly inherited foot problems is a short first metatarsal bone (Long Second Toe) –also known as Morton’s Toe (http://www.footcare4u.com/category/the-wrong-kind-of-inheritance/). On one of his two websites (http://www.footcare4u.com), Schuler writes: “That is not to say that you are destined to inherit the same foot pathology your parents have, but in the process of inheriting a poor or weak foot, you open up a Pandora’s box that can eventually lead to any number of foot ailments…The Morton’s Toe is the problem most often inherited that causes foot problems.”
Isn’t a longer second toe merely a cosmetic problem, and how is this related to bunions? Morton’s Toe (short metatarsal bone or hypermobility of this bone) causes the foot to over-pronate, with weight unevenly distributed throughout the foot. This causes abnormal stress in that are where the bunion can eventually form as a response (http://www.footcare4u.com/category/bunions/). When a bunion bump forms, the foot may develop it’s own “shock absorber” to protect the bunion bump. This is called a “bursa,” which is a sac of fluid that can eventually become inflamed–developing bursitis.
Even if you switch shoes to accommodate bunions or bursitis in your foot, the problem will persist if you do not seek treatment for what could be the root cause of your problem: Morton’s Toe (http://whyyoureallyhurt.com/home/#tp).
WHAT IS A MORTON’S TOE OR LONG SECOND TOE
In the 1920’s and 1930”s Dr. Dudley J. Morton of Yale Medical School and Columbia Medical School wrote that a problem with the 1st metatarsal bone, known as a Morton’s Toe could be the reason for most foot problems. Dr. Janet Travel, White House physician to Presidents Kennedy and Johnson, and Professor Emeritus of Medicine at George Washington University took this concept further by writing and teaching that the Morton’s Toe could cause pain all over your body. She wrote and taught for four decades that a Morton’s Toe could cause back, hip, knee, leg foot and ankles problems. She felt that the Morton’s Toe, was so important that at the age of 89 she made a video tape to teach other physicians about how to recognize it and how to treat it.
I wrote this over 2 years ago but brought it up dated, on the bottom of the page with a very nice video explaining the Morton’s Toe That video has gotten about 45,000 viewing on you tube
Advanced Bunion Deformity with Hammer Toes, Compliment office of Dr. Burton S. Schuler, Panama City Fl
A bunion is an enlargement of “the metatarsophalangeal (MTP) joint”; this is the big toe’s base joint that forms when the bone or tissue moves out of place. This forces the toe to bend toward the others, causing an often painful lump of bone on the foot. The MTP joint, which carries lots of weight, is stiff and sore, making even the wearing of shoes difficult or impossible. It also causes swelling of the feet to occur. Hammer toes are also associated with the formation of bunions.
Bunions form when the normal balance of forces that is exerted on the joints and foot’s tendons becomes disrupted–leading to foot deformity. They are brought about by years of abnormal motion and pressure over the MTP joint. It is acknowledged that bunions run in families. One theory advanced by Dr. Burton S. Schuler, a practicing podiatrist for over 38 years, Director of the Ambulatory Foot Clinic in Panama City, Florida, and author of Why You Really Hurt: It All Stars in the Foot, is that it is not necessarily bunions that are inherited but toe length, which can lead to the development of bunions
On inheritance and the foot, Schuler indicates that one of the most commonly inherited foot problems is a longer second toe–also known as Morton’s Toe . “That is not to say that you are destined to inherit the same foot pathology your parents have, but in the process of inheriting a poor or weak foot, you open up a Pandora’s box that can eventually lead to any number of foot ailments…The Morton’s Toe is the problem most often inherited that causes foot problems.”
Isn’t a longer second toe merely a cosmetic problem, and how is this related to bunions? Morton’s Toe (short metatarsal bone or hypermobility of this bone) causes the foot to over-pronate, with weight unevenly distrbuted throughout the foot. This causes abnormal stress in that are where the bunion can eventually form as a response . When a bunion bump forms, the foot may develop it’s own “shock absorber” to protect the bunion bump. This is called a “bursa,” which is a sac of fluid that can eventually become inflamed–developing bursitis.
Even if you switch shoes to accommodate bunions or bursitis in your foot, the problem will persist if you do not seek treatment for what could be the root cause of your problem: Morton’s Toe
About the Author: Dr. Burton S. Schuler foot doctor, foot care specialist, podiatrist of Panama City, Panama City Beach Fl , is a 1975 graduated of the New York College of Podiatric Medicine , and has been in private practice for over 38 years. He is an authority on the human foot and has written two books and hundreds of articles about the foot published in numerous podiatric journals publications and at www.FootCare4U.com. He is this country’s leading authority on the Morton’s Toe, ((Long Second Toe) and its associated medical and health problems and on the life of Dr. Dudley J. Morton,
His, first book about the Morton’s Toe, Why You Really Hurt: It All Starts in the Foot published in 2009 is the leading authority on the Morton’s Toe. and presently has over 7,000 copies in print, and sold has thousands of eBook copies ( Kindle) on Amazon. The book is published by the La Luz Press, Inc and is disturbed nationally by the Cardinal Publishing Group. Dr. Schuler’s next book about the Morton’s Toe, called the Morton’s Toe Book will be published in 2014 also by the La Luz Press.
In 1982, he published his first book, The Agony of De-Feet: A Podiatrist Guide to Foot Care. During his thirty eight year career, he has written for Collier’s Encyclopedia and has been interviewed by The New York Times, Cosmopolitan, and First in Women. Dr. Schuler has appeared on dozens of radio and television programs both here and aboard. He is a Diplomate of both the American Academy of Pain Management, and the National Board of Podiatric Examiners. Dr. Schuler is certified as a wound specialist from the American Academy of Wound Management. He has been a professional member of the American Diabetic Association for about 35 years. . His professional and civic accomplishments have earned his inclusion in the 1999-2002 Who’s Who in America (Marquis)
After treating patients for over a third of a century I feel the number one reason for a person to have bunions is due to a Morton’s Toe caused by Inheritance. (see Video below) We inherit our feet from our parents the same way we inherit many other traits. If mom or dad had a foot that was prone to forming bunions, you will have the tendency to acquire the same type of foot. It is not usual to see three generations of a family with the same type of bunion problems. To a much lesser extent poor posture and ill-fitting shoes may also be responsible for the formation of a bunion.
In its early stages, the measures for relieving bunion pain at home are relatively uncomplicated. Warm water foot soaks may bring considerable, although transitory relief, as does cutting shoes out over the bunion.
