Bunions

[TeleChica]

Has anyone dealt with bunions? I seem to have developed them this summer, and certain shoes are too painful to wear. No idea how or why--I am not a high-heel wearing gal. I'm afraid to try on my ski boots. Any and all suggestions/shared experiences welcome. Thanks!

 

[bounceswoosh]

I have tailor's bunions. Same thing, I think, but on the other side of the foot. I'm usually in wide Merrells, and I actually suspect several ill-fitting pairs of ski boots as the culprit.

Suggestions - don't wear shoes that have become painful. If they're leather, you may be able to get them stretched. I don't know about regular bunions, but my tailor's bunions may have caused my Morton's neuromas - and believe me, you don't want that.

Perhaps obvious - see a podiatrist, if only for peace of mind.

 

[nopoleskier]

I've used over the counter remedies with pretty good results, the little foam pads help quite a bit Dr. Scholls

 

[TeleChica]

Yes, I plan to see a podiatrist--just curious what others experience has been and what you've done about it.
@nopoleskier what OTC remedies have you used?

 

[nopoleskier]

Yes, I plan to see a podiatrist--just curious what others experience has been and what you've done about it.
@nopoleskier what OTC remedies have you used?

mostly the bunion pads. and the splint thingy.. that seemed to help..
Mine doesn't hurt and thankfully I don't 'have' to wear heels.. https://health.clevelandclinic.org/2014/12/7-ways-to-ease-your-bunions-without-surgery/

 

[Christy]

I have what I guess is a minor one--it doesn't hurt and isn't as prominent as the ones in the link above. I also don't wear heels/ill fitting shoes; I never have aside from the occasional wedding or whatnot. I'm not really sure if there is something I'm supposed to do about it so that it doesn't get worse, so if anyone knows I'd be interested. I'm also a little confused about the podiatrist thing since they aren't considered a "real" doctor apparently and my insurance doesn't cover podiatrist visits.

I guess ski boots are the only thing that I wear that would fall outside the realm of normal footwear. Is it possible wearing ski boots will make it worse and one day it will become painful/require surgery? I've heard foot surgery in general is awful.

 

[Abbi]

I have bunions on both feet (probably high heels but who knows). My previous pair of boots had the area where the bunion would sit stretched out. It looked like a bubble on the inside edge of the boot. That was OK for a few years until the bunion expanded (oh boy). I had the boots re-shaped one more time but by then the big issue was not the bunion which has blessedly never been painful on either foot, but the increased pain for the Morton's neuroma on one foot. As bounceswoosh noted, the neuroma is no fun at all. I gave up and got new boots last winter and new footbeds. There will still be days the neuroma is witchy but I'm light years better now. Best of luck with this and do see a reputable boot fitter.

 

[bounceswoosh]

I'm also a little confused about the podiatrist thing since they aren't considered a "real" doctor apparently and my insurance doesn't cover podiatrist visits.

Whaaa?

My podiatrist performed surgery on me. Insurance paid.

 

[EeveeCanSki]

I developed a small tailor's or a bone spur over the summer on my right foot, and had some nerve issue as well, right near where my pinky phalanx meets the 5th metatarsal. That area was so tender that I could not stand to touch it for a few days. Not fun. The problem is being treated like a tailor's and I'm seeing relief, so sticking with it.

My podiatrist has cleared me to ski, but the boots are in the shop right now, getting punched out at the pressure points around my little toe. I also received a prescription for an NSAID gel that I have been instructed to apply to keep swelling and inflammation down. I'm pain-free currently, but I'm nervous for the season and nervous my boots won't accommodate this foot anymore. My feet were fine of course when I purchased the boots last year...I have no idea what caused this (and I hate it...)!

 

[Jilly]

Not sure if things are different here in Canada but a podiatrist is still a M.D. They just specialize in feet. No kidding locally the guy is Dr. Brain. Went to school, with his sister.

 

[mustski]

Not sure if things are different here in Canada but a podiatrist is still a M.D. They just specialize in feet. No kidding locally the guy is Dr. Brain. Went to school, with his sister.

In the US they are DPM (doctors of Podiatric medicine) BUT what most people don't realize is that they have also attended all 4 years of medical school prior to their specialty. The difference between a podiatrist and an orthopedic doctor is specialty. The podiatrist has specialized in the foot and ankle whereas the orthopedic doctor has specialized in bones in general. The result is, however, that some insurance plans will opt out of covering podiatrists because they are not MD but DPM.

 

[Christy]

They go to podiatry school, like a dentist goes to dentistry school (and learns surgery, etc). It's not "regular" medical school like Johns Hopkins or Harvard or the U of Washington, for that matter. Okay, I got curious and saw on Wikipedia there are only 9 of these schools in the US. I'm kind of annoyed now. Why does podiatry need to be like this, rather than like every other specialty where you go to med school then specialize? I am left with a choice of no coverage with the people that presumably know feet best, or...I guess I don't know what the alternative is, a GP looking at a bunion?

 

[Pequenita]

They go to podiatry school, like a dentist goes to dentistry school (and learns surgery, etc). It's not "regular" medical school like Johns Hopkins or Harvard or the U of Washington, for that matter. Okay, I got curious and saw on Wikipedia there are only 9 of these schools in the US. I'm kind of annoyed now. Why does podiatry need to be like this, rather than like every other specialty where you go to med school then specialize? I am left with a choice of no coverage with the people that presumably know feet best, or...I guess I don't know what the alternative is, a GP looking at a bunion?

Orthopedic surgeon who specializes in foot and ankle issues could be an option.

 

[VickiK]

My mom's podiatrist visits are covered. What a bummer, @Christy . Maybe the ortho guy is the way to go.

 

[Jenny]

Huh. I had no idea podiatry was different. Luckily, they're covered under our insurance, and so is the PT that I'm getting right now for the plantar fasciitis.

 

[TeleChica]

My feet were fine of course when I purchased the boots last year...I have no idea what caused this (and I hate it...)!

This seems to be what happened to me! This all occurred this summer! I don't have a particularly large bump near my big toe, but it really hurts after hiking and mountain biking. My hiking boots are Keens so plenty of room. I just bought new roomier MTB shoes. But OW. It's so weird and all of a sudden. I'm hoping orthodics help. See the podiatrist on Monday.

 

[EeveeCanSki]

This seems to be what happened to me! This all occurred this summer! I don't have a particularly large bump near my big toe, but it really hurts after hiking and mountain biking. My hiking boots are Keens so plenty of room. I just bought new roomier MTB shoes. But OW. It's so weird and all of a sudden. I'm hoping orthodics help. See the podiatrist on Monday.

Good luck...wishing the best for a straightforward treatment plan! Something else that helped me as well was a cortisone shot...yep, right in the joint...to get the inflammation down from associated bursitis at that pinky toe/metatarsal junction. (Just thinking about this makes me turn green, but I got relief!) My podiatrist puts part of the blame on my foot issues with having worn improper shoes--turns out I have a neutral foot and gait, and had been wearing too many stability shoe models, and thus the outside of my foot had been pushing against the shoe for too long at this pressure point. A shoe with a soft, flexible mesh top also aided recovery since that fabric moved and stretched with my foot rather than pushing against it.