How Can Bunions Be Managed?
By: Deny Dallaire, B.Sc., C.Ped (C)
Certified Pedorthist (Canada) with Thera-Ped Moncton
There are a great deal of people out there that have bunions and Canadian Certified Pedorthists are just one of many health care professionals that can help manage them. Speak with your family physician about which professional can best help you.
Bunions are painful inflammations of the 1st metatarsal joint (or ball) of the big toe. Usually, they occur in conjunction with another condition called hallux abducto-valgus. This is a fancy term for the fact that you big toe turns in towards the rest of the foot. While there are many causes, bunions are usually hereditary. Chances are, someone in your family has them as well. Therefore, since they are hereditary, we speak of managing bunions, rather than curing them. Here are some of the ways Canadian Certified Pedorthists manage bunions.
SHOE THERAPY: The most important tool in managing bunions is footwear. Choosing not only good shoes, but also the right shoe for you can make a world of difference. Moreover, depending on the severity of your bunions, you don’t necessarily need to resort to big clunky shoes. In fact, today’s shoe companies offer many stylish choices of shoes for people with bunions. A Canadian Certified Pedorthist is trained to guide you in your choice of footwear and to help develop a shoe therapy program to manage your bunions.
FOOT ORTHOTICS: When the cause of your bunions is aggravated by the mechanics of your feet (how your feet move when you walk), then foot orthotics are another tool that we can use to manage your bunions. These devices simply are inserted in your shoes and manage the “mechanics” of your feet. They can be either custom-made of over-the-counter. The type of foot mechanics you have, as well as the severity of your bunions will determine which orthotic device work best for you.
TECHNIQUES & DEVICES: While shoe and orthotic therapies are the main tools in managing painful bunions, there are many other techniques, such as shoe stretching and modification, as well as devices, such as toe splints, that are readily available as well.
Look for the logo of the College of Pedorthics of Canada in your Pedorthist’s office. For more information about Canadian Certified Pedorthist, visit: www.cpedcs.ca.
Certified Pedorthist (Canada) with Thera-Ped Moncton
There are a great deal of people out there that have bunions and Canadian Certified Pedorthists are just one of many health care professionals that can help manage them. Speak with your family physician about which professional can best help you.
Bunions are painful inflammations of the 1st metatarsal joint (or ball) of the big toe. Usually, they occur in conjunction with another condition called hallux abducto-valgus. This is a fancy term for the fact that you big toe turns in towards the rest of the foot. While there are many causes, bunions are usually hereditary. Chances are, someone in your family has them as well. Therefore, since they are hereditary, we speak of managing bunions, rather than curing them. Here are some of the ways Canadian Certified Pedorthists manage bunions.
SHOE THERAPY: The most important tool in managing bunions is footwear. Choosing not only good shoes, but also the right shoe for you can make a world of difference. Moreover, depending on the severity of your bunions, you don’t necessarily need to resort to big clunky shoes. In fact, today’s shoe companies offer many stylish choices of shoes for people with bunions. A Canadian Certified Pedorthist is trained to guide you in your choice of footwear and to help develop a shoe therapy program to manage your bunions.
FOOT ORTHOTICS: When the cause of your bunions is aggravated by the mechanics of your feet (how your feet move when you walk), then foot orthotics are another tool that we can use to manage your bunions. These devices simply are inserted in your shoes and manage the “mechanics” of your feet. They can be either custom-made of over-the-counter. The type of foot mechanics you have, as well as the severity of your bunions will determine which orthotic device work best for you.
TECHNIQUES & DEVICES: While shoe and orthotic therapies are the main tools in managing painful bunions, there are many other techniques, such as shoe stretching and modification, as well as devices, such as toe splints, that are readily available as well.
Look for the logo of the College of Pedorthics of Canada in your Pedorthist’s office. For more information about Canadian Certified Pedorthist, visit: www.cpedcs.ca.
