Bunion Myths
#1: Treatment for bunions means surgery
This is not true. At Sydney Foot Solutions, we commonly treat bunions. In most cases, we can correct the underlying deviation of the big toe without surgery, without change of footwear and without orthotics.
#2: If bunions don’t hurt I don’t need to treat them
Not true. The joint is out of alignment, which causes wear and tear to the joint every time you walk or run. Eventually, the joint will wear out (much faster than you think!) and then you won’t be able to do the things you love, like wear heels or fashionable shoes, run or in many cases walk freely without pain. The other issue is that when your big toe joint does wear out, it will take a toll on other joints in your body—right up to your neck!
#3: My doctor doesn’t know FMT, so it can’t work
General practitioners cannot know about every treatment available for every condition. Patients who ask their local doctor about treatments for their bunions are often referred to a surgeon, but surgery should always be the last resort for bunions. The great thing about conservative management is that it has no long-term ramifications, as surgery may have, not to mention much lower costs and no negative impact on quality of life. Most importantly, it works and we can measure our results.
As specialists in this area, we can offer a number of conservative management approaches to pursue before you consider surgery. In most cases, if you come see us you will never need to see the surgeon.
#4: I need to change my footwear to Nanna shoes
At Sydney Foot Solutions, we are able to correct bunions without changing footwear and without orthotics. We do it consistently by gently mobilising the misalignment in your feet and strengthening the relevant muscles around the joint.
The earlier we treat potential bunions the better the outcome. The pattern that causes bunions is hereditary, and we have treated 12-year-old children to prevent bunions getting worse. If you have any sign of a bunion, or if you have a family history of bunions, make an appointment as soon as possible.
