This causes a bone to protrude on the side of the foot. This bony bump is commonly referred to as a bunion. Pressure on this prominent bone from shoewear can cause pain. Thick calluses can develop under the foot as a result of abnormally high pressure points. Eventually, patients find it difficult to find shoes that will fit properly.
Most bunions develop after an extended period of use of tight or pointed shoewear.
Some bunions can be caused by an imbalance in the way we walk. This imbalance, which may be inherited, causes more pressure to be applied to the big toe joint causing it to deviate, resulting in a prominent bony bump on the side of the foot. This can be started by or aggravated by tight shoes. As the deformity progresses, the great toe can often crowd out the lesser toes and even overlap the second toe. Gradually, the big toe joint may begin to partially dislocate.