When it comes to bunions, surgery is not an inevitable necessity to treat them. There are many things that you and your podiatrist can do to manage bunions non-surgically. Our podiatrist, Dr, Ranieri, from Lake Ridge Podiatry in Woodbridge, VA treats bunions frequently and can help to guide you on the best strategy to treat them and get you back to doing all the activities that make life worth living and not be limited by bunion pain.

What are bunions?

Bunions, named hallux valgus, consist of a deformity of the foot where the joint of the big toe becomes displaced. This leads to a protrusion on the inside of your foot where the big toe meets the rest of the foot. Years of stress placed on the foot may lead to the big toe being displaced towards the other toes. Sometimes, in the late-stage progression of a bunion, the big toe may have been displaced so much that it lays on top of the second toe, known as crossover toe.

Bunions range in severity from a mild, annoying condition that is not serious enough to negatively affect your functioning to a very painful condition that impairs your ability to walk. Bunions will progress and get worse if they are exposed to improper stresses and friction, so you must take action as soon as possible after being diagnosed with a bunion.

What are some actions I can take to prevent or stop the progression of bunions?

There is a lot that you can do and our podiatrist can guide you on managing your bunions in Woodbridge, VA. Here are some non-surgical, conservative measures that you and your doctor may choose from to help manage bunion pain.

• Avoid wearing ill-fitting shoes, high heels, and pointy-toed shoes. Your shoes should be roomy in the toe region. When your toes are squished together, this will cause excessive stress and friction on the big toe joint and lead to further displacement of the joint of the big toe, both of which may cause your bunion to get worse.
• Buy new shoes in the later hours of the day. Your feet swell slightly throughout the day and any new shoes that you buy need to accommodate this. 
• Get your foot size measured each time you buy a pair of new shoes. With age, our arches tend to fall and not be as supportive, causing our feet to flatten. You may need to buy a larger size of shoe than you are used to.
• Maintain a healthy weight to avoid excess stress on the foot
• Custom orthotics worn in your shoes may help.
• Pain medication and anti-inflammatory drugs, both prescription and over-the-counter, may help to alleviate any discomfort.

Contact us to schedule a consultation

Take the first step towards treating bunions in Woodbridge, VA by making an appointment with Dr. Ranieri at Lake Ridge Podiatry by calling (703) 491-2603.