If you're a slave to the latest fashions, your feet may pay the price. Tight, pointed, confining or high-heeled shoes may look good, but they're also linked to a common foot problem called bunions.

Bunions often occur near the joint at the base of the large or great toe where bones, tendons and ligaments work together to bear most of the body's weight during movement. When this joint becomes stressed over time, bones or tissue may protrude from the joint or outside the foot.

"Bunions can be painful and unsightly," says Raul Diaz, M.D., an orthopedic surgeon at Chalmette Medical Center. "In addition, they often interfere with the normal mechanics of the foot during walking because the great toe isn't able to bear as much weight as it should."

Although bunions start in the base of the great toe, they also can cause pain and deformity in the smaller toes.

Raul Diaz, M.D.

Relieving foot pain
People with bunions may have mild, moderate or severe foot pain. In addition, the area around the bunion often becomes swollen or inflamed.

Although bunions typically get worse over time, people don't have to live with the foot pain associated with bunions. There are a variety of medical and surgical treatments available to reduce the discomfort.

Conservative treatment -- which may include padding, medications, physical therapy or shoe inserts -- may help relieve pressure on the toes and slow the progression of the deformity.

Surgery is another treatment option for bunions. Patients may benefit from surgery if:

• Conservative treatments don't provide relief.
• The bunion interferes with their daily activities.
• Patients have moderate to severe pain or deformity.
• The bunion alters patients' foot mechanics.

"During surgery, we first remove the bony bump or bunion," says Dr. Diaz. "Then we make a small cut in the bone and shift the bone over to correct the mechanical deformity. This straightens the toe and helps relieve pain."

Surgeons also can correct multiple foot problems, including bunions, corns, hammertoes and painful nerve tumors, during one surgical procedure.

"Some patients can begin walking short distances almost immediately after surgery," says Dr. Diaz. "Those with more advanced or multiple deformities may need to stay off the foot and use crutches for a few weeks."

For more information about bunions and other foot disorders, visit www.chalmettemedical.com and click on Health Information in the left column. Under Look It Up on the left side of the next page, click Common Complaints and scroll down to Foot Pain.

Preventing Bunions
Poorly fitting shoes are a major cause of bunions, and they are more common in women than in men. Fortunately, there is an easy way to help keep your feet healthy and prevent bunions: Wear shoes that fit properly.

Experts recommend that you:

• Have your foot measured regularly.
• Try on all shoes. Don't rely on foot measurements inside shoes. Sizes vary depending on the brand and style.
• Fit your shoes to your largest foot. (Many people have one foot that is larger than the other.)
• Choose shoes that match the shape of your feet.
• Walk around in the shoes before you buy them.
• Choose shoes that fit well and feel comfortable.

9001 Patricia Street, P.O. Box 1727, Chalmette, LA 70044 (504) 620-6000