DON'T BLAME IT ON YOUR MOM - THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS A BUNION GENE

It drives me crazy when I hear women say, "I can't help it, it's not my fault, I got them from my mom", as though the 5" heels that contort the foot into an abnormal shape have had nothing to do with it. I repeat, you can only genetically inherit a foot structure, not bunions! Let’s face it, the biggest cause of bunions is improper footwear, with or without an underlying condition that makes you prone to developing them.

In my case, with both bunions and bunionettes, my feet have taken on the shape of traditional diamond shaped kites, no joke. How did this happen - wearing pointe shoes for ballet as a child, pointy-toed cowboy boots as a teen, forefoot squishing high-heels as an adult, and even shoes that weren’t exactly my size but that I just had to have.

Eventually, as some of us come to our senses the quest begins for proper fitting, comfortable footwear. This can be easily achieved until you factor in the must haves of fashion and sex appeal – I’ll continue on this subject in another post. 

I can't stress enough how important it is to have your feet examined by a Podiatrist for the proper diagnosis of bunions and other foot conditions. There may be more going on with your feet than you are aware of. In the mean time, you can begin to prevent your bunions from getting worse by immediately addressing your footwear.

Consider the following:

• Avoid strappy sandals that cut across the bunion, put pressure on it, or allow it to poke out between straps
• A strap over the instep will hold the foot back against the heel and prevent it from sliding forward, and will also keep the heel from slipping out  
• Keep pressure off the balls of the feet and toes, stick to lower heels
• Avoid footwear that is completely flat (meaning with no heel) and lacks support (both especially bad for flat feet)
• Make sure there is 1/2" between the longest toe and the end of the shoe, and that there is sufficient width for the toes to spread for balance
• Tops of toes should never touch the inside top of the shoe
• Shoes and sandals should have some cushioning in the footbed
• The shape and width of your shoes should be as close as possible to the shape of your feet
• If you are going to use orthopaedic insoles, take them with you when you go shopping and make sure the shoes are roomy enough to accommodate both the insoles and your feet