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Hey everybody. I am a new member and I have lots of questions. I will go ahead and ask a few now and hopefully start to get an understanding. I realize I should probably see a podiatrist, and I am getting close to that point…but I am a typical stubborn man. Which brings me to my first question. Is it common for men to have bunions? It seems like most or all posts I see are from women. Next question. Is the surgery worth it? I am not in a crazy amount of pain while wearing what I wear. I don’t have a lot of good shoe options. Hiking boots are too painful. The bunion sneakers I had are a broken ankle waiting to happen, very little support. What I found to be most comfortable for me are crocs and these extra wide walmart sneakers that cost like $20. How long will I be out of work if I go the surgery route? I am afraid of missing too much time. I posted a picture of my nasty foot. Would that be considered a bad bunion? Looks bad to me but idk. Sorry, my feet are gross. I work outside and am on my feet all day. My wife wants me to get a pedicure but to tell you the truth, I don’t like people seeing them. Anyway, glad to join the group and get some advice and knowledge. I have been dealing with this for years.
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I had surgery on my left foot - about 10 years ago - it has helped me a lot with wearing shoes and having no pain - however - my foot is weaker since the surgery - and when it is humid outside or very cold - it hurts. This coming Tuesday I am having a consultation with an orthopedic surgeon to see about getting my right foot operated. It’s getting very painful - I can’t wear shoes other than Birkenstock and I can’t do physical activities either.
I’m sure I don’t need to tell you this, but you do need to see a podiatrist. Or a foot doctor. You need to get your x-rays done CT scan and then an MRI. It’s your body! I wish you all the best on your journey! This group is awesome, full of great people. and you will learn a lot !!!!
Looks more like arthritis to me. Not sure if that is the same as a bunion but I’m sure the bone deformity is different. Mine is the same as yours
Hi, I was like you put up with the pain & hassle of not being able to find comfy shoes for many years (about 30 tbh!) Unlike you I did see a podiatrist regularly to treat corns, callouses & bursitis on my bad foot. I live in New Zealand & through the public health system it took a few years to get the surgery. I’m now 8 weeks post op. 6 weeks in a cast & now 6 weeks in a moon boot. I can tell you recovery is no picnic but I’m really hoping it’ll be worthwhile. Still having pain in the foot so I’ll be devastated if I’ve gone through all this with not a good result. Anyway all the best with your treatment. See a doctor & get some advice. Also treatment seems to be less invasive & possibly shorter recovery periods in some places from what I’ve read on here. Good luck 😊
Podiatrist. Honestly go.
It’s a good idea to get some Altra Running Shoes or Topo Athletic Footwear or Lem’s. Those brands are supportive and secured onto our feet when we wear them and are designed in the shape of a “wide toe box”. Getting secure footwear that provides toe splay space is something that can be done immediately and there isn’t risk to it. The crocs are giving you space but they aren’t that secure and could be causing the toes to grip and claw as you stride which worsens bunions. The Altra Running Shoes in the Lone Peak style are often recommended. We are born with pizza slice shaped feet, the toe splay space in pizza slice shaped footwear is best 🍕🍕 https://www.altrarunning.com/en-us/search?find=men’s%20lone%20peak
Yes definitely worth it, its debilitating and will wreck your knees from the imbalance
My brother had his bunion operated on. It seems that it runs in our family.
Mine is similar, I went to the podiatrist and he said if it doesn’t hurt, don’t do it.
Bunions are usually genetic I inherited my severely deformed ( surgeon’s term) feet from my Dad. I am 59 and had the first foot operated on 8 weeks ago. I really wish I had done this at an earlier age as I have had so much pain and infection due to my squished toes and wide feet. If you can, go get it sorted.
the two tend to go hand in hand. I have arthritis in my big toe due to the bunion.
my toe doesn’t go in. Just bony growth on the toe joint
I think they are different conditions. They may be treated the same , I don’t know, but they are different
my bunion came first and then the arthritis so although different definitely a link between the two.
mind I ask how was your foot treated for corns and calluses? I’ve had bunions for the longest and unfortunately corns and calluses have been a part also. Now growing bunionettes 😩
Hi Arevir, the podiatrist just removed them with her scalpel & put some kind of cream & dressing on the bursitis on top of the 3rd toe. She would give me a pack of dressings & each week in between visits I’d redo the dressing. The surgeon said this was in danger of ulcerating. The 2nd & third toes were fused & pinned. So hopefully no more dressing! They don’t move a lot as yet but to me that’s better than on going infection & pain. Hope that’s all helpful 😊
i will. thank you…but i really want to avoid surgery. i cant afford to not work.
my Podiatrist made some custom Orthotics for my shoes to take pressure off the bad spots
You’re probably thinking that the Walmart shoes have got you set, but if they are wide shoes and still have a tapered toe then maybe not. Dr Perez at speaks to why the wide shoes are different from shoes with a wide toe box: https://youtu.be/klBBgtOJtT0
Altra for the win!!!
Yes ! Did they change things for you too? Things turned around for me since wearing the Altra Running Shoes. It’s been a surprise how much my feet have improved. I have five different pairs now and one pair of Topo Athletic Footwear. Do you have a favourite model of shoe?
yes....I love my Altras. I, too, have about 5 pair. I choose not to wear socks as socks pull my toes together and cause pain. But without socks, I'm pain free. I have my favs and I shop a lot on eBay trying to find the ones that work for me as they are older versions.
Interesting about the socks. I ordered some light weight toe socks to try. I have a light weight pair of tabi socks that a friend gave me that work in my shoes. Tabi are the ones that separate only the big toe. I’m hoping light weight toe socks will work out, light would be a key word there. I went to a coastal beach and hiking trail yesterday and had my Altra Torin, Altra Timp, and Altra Lone Peaks with me. I chose to wear the Lone Peaks, I think they are the best. I’ve bought clothes to coordinate outfits with my fairly new pair of Altra Torins, so I’m going to try to keep them looking good so I can dress up and go out in the Torins and look put together. The Lone Peaks are my favourite to wear but the heel construction make them uncomfortable as driver for a long distance in the car- my foot gets uncomfortable in position over the pedals when wearing them. I’m learning that I need to change into the Lone Peaks on arrival to the trail. I love them for walking though!
so there are men that have them. mostly women, though?
Hi Dorcas, there are genetics that influence if some of us are more prone to developing them- hypermobility is an example. So yeah, they run in families. Bunions are avoidable though even if there are genetic conditions that run in the family. Weakness and footwear that is tapered in the toe area in both women’s and men’s footwear contribute to bunions. A tapered shoe directs the big toe to centre and constricts all of the toes. Wide toe box footwear like Altra Running Shoes or Lem’s provide space for the toes to splay. We’re born with feet shaped like pizza slices, and footwear shaped like pizza slices is best 🍕🍕
Same here, my two sisters and I have all had bunion surgery.
I’m 50 and have had bunions since my teens. Recently I developed a tailor’s bunion that caused major discomfort at first but has settled into its spot and found comfortable Brooks Running shoes. I run a lot and it’s not painful now. Podiatrist said not to get surgery until it truly affects my everyday life and activities. Keen hiking shoes have good space up front and I have hiked 8 miles fine.
I'm also a stubborn guy but I love seeing the doctor, I bring presentations to discuss my case and she either agrees or show me why I'm wrong. My neighbor had what she thought was a bunion, it turned out to just be a cyst and with wide shoes and toe correctors, her toe straightened. I needed surgery, with a real bunion, toe correctors fix nothing. Work depends what you do for work. I have a desk job and I was back at my home desk once my anesthesia wore off that afternoon. Since you said you work outside, it may be a month and a half before you can do some heel transfer in a CAM boot. I have extra wide hiking boots from Merrell and Sorel. Keen also makes some amongst other brands. Has that hammer toe always been there? Mine got worse from my bunion pressing the 2nd metatarsal.
I was off work for 4 weeks and took 6 months to fully recover
Bunions are usually genetic. You need to see a podiatrist and get x-rays of your foot. Surgery is different for everyone. Some people heal on the given time frame and some don't. If you have a desk job, you will be off at least two weeks. I was 7 weeks non-weight bearing. I am a retired teacher so it wasn't a big deal for me. Your bone will need to be cut. It takes a year to heal fully but by the end of three months months most people can do a lot on their feet. There are things that can go wrong after surgery. Nerve damage is a big one. It is rare but can happen. I am 13 weeks out now and so glad I had surgery. I can walk barefoot again and my podiatrist cleared me Monday to resume all activities. Surgery is not something to take lightly. I am glad you are asking questions now. Pain wasn't bad for me at all after day three. Swelling of your foot is usually pretty manageable after 12 weeks. You may need a plate and screws in your foot. I have them but I don't even notice them. See a podiatrist who can tell you exactly what you will need and what recovery time for you will be like.
I'm not trying to sell anything, but astaxanthin have helped mine, relieved my pain and I no longer feel pain enough to have surgery. I will reply with a pic. You can get off Amazon for like 9.99. It will take a minute to build up in your system but worth a try.
I kind of knew to this I just went to the doctor, not too long and had my surgery coming up in October but looking at your toes do you have hammer toes as well? I think when I’ve looked at pictures that’s what that looks like along with the bunion. Like I said I’m just learning so maybe somebody else has more knowledge.
In addition to the bunion, it looks as if you have a hammer toe, too. Have you tried New Balance sneakers? Keens? Birkenstocks? The surgery works for some but not for others. I have heard success stories and horror stories. I had 2 podiatrists who wanted to do surgery, with one wanting to replace the joint in my bunion toe. When I went to an orthopedic surgeon for a second opinion, he said that if I wasn't in pain and could do everything I wanted to do, including hiking, he would not do the surgery for fear of an infection in both the incision site and the bone. We can all give you advice, but none of us are podiatricsts nor orthopedists, as far as I know. Find an orthopedic surgeon in your area and seek his/her advice. Good luck to you.
I inherited bunions from my Dad. I waited 30 years too long & feel if I would have gone sooner for an evaluation, I might have lessened the severity. For me, it started with not being able to wear one type of shoe to finally not being able to wear shoes at all. My bunion led to severe arthritis (hallux rigidus). Go get a scan and consultation with a highly recommended surgical podiatrist in your area. There are different types of surgeries and down time. Every person on this thread has had a different experience. I am almost 2 years post surgery and will have my other foot done 2027. My only regret is waiting until the pain was unbearable. Best of luck!
Bunions can be hereditary and do get worse not better. If the bunion doesn’t hurt, it is recommended to leave it alone BUT if it hurst, you should see an orthopedic surgeon specialist in foot and ankle with good experience in bunion surgery as soon as you can. You should consult with at least 2-3 surgeons to compare each other ‘s approach to your specific case. Good luck!
Go see a podiatrist. There are different kinds of surgeries for bunions. The more severe the bunion, the more invasive the surgery. I had Lapiplasty surgery on my right foot last Nov and will have my left foot done in July. Bunions don't get better but you may be able to get some pain relief with the right shoes. Talk to your doctor and tell him/her that you can't afford to take time off work and see what they recommend.
same here
my grandmother had bunions. her toes were curled all over each other.
Hi , bunions run in families for sure because of genetic conditions such as hypermobility. But we don’t inherit the bunion automatically- we wear the pointy footwear and that constricts the toes. If we strengthen and wear wide toe box footwear (which is different from “wide” footwear) like Altra Running Shoes we can have healthy feet. Direct your younger family members to Dr Perez at and to the social media and website of Dr Conley and for kids get them to look up the child posture specialist Juliana Lucky on social media— because strengthening prevents bunions. The pain and surgeries can be prevented for our offspring! We are born with width at the toes of our feet, we need to wear footwear that is similarly shaped … like pizza slices right? 🍕🍕 Get your offspring and relatives into Altra Running Shoes Topo Athletic Footwear Lem’s Instead of high heels with pointy toes for ladies, there are shoe brands called Origo and Shapen
Yeah Lindsay, as a child I wore the regular tapered shoes that were/are generally available and figure skates and flipflops too. It started early for most of us! When you switch to sneakers at a wedding are the sneakers anatomical (wide toe box) shoes? Toe splay in footwear matters. We are born with pizza slice shaped feet and pizza slice shaped shoes are best 🍕🍕 Dr Perez at has a video demonstrating how the regularly available footwear is commonly tapered in the toe area. It can make a difference for young people in your life… https://youtu.be/klBBgtOJtT0
I was taken to the GP when I was 13 because my toes were turning in but unfortunately at that time nothing could be done . I have never been one for pointy shoes and heels, even as a youngster. I am that person at a wedding who always ditches the heels and gets into sneakers asap. The problem in my feet actually stems from the tarsometatarsal joint which is the one below the bunion joint . Footwear will have made no difference, although laterally I have only worn wide trainers for comfort.
i did not always have that.
GIPHY
Hi Garry, hammertoes are caused by gripping and clawing the toes. Crocs might contribute to the hammertoe? Secure (tied or strapped on) footwear with toe splay space is good for our feet. The has footwear recommendations and reviews that are worthwhile looking through.
never heard of this - but will give it a try
Exactly my recommendation. An Orthopaedic surgeon specialist in foot and ankle!!
Hi Mary, bunions themselves are not inevitable through genetics, if there are young people who are related to you the bunions are avoidable. Some of us are more prone to bunions because of conditions (like hypermobility) which are genetic. We are born with pizza slice shaped feet and pizza slice shaped footwear is best 🍕🍕Its important to share footwear information with your loved ones (check the website, there are even recommendations for children there too), and direct your younger family members to the child posture specialist named Juliana Lucky who presents info on Facebook and Instagram that will help in prevention of bunions. Toe splay matters for healthy feet.
Why do you say “they do get worse not better”? Progression can be stopped (and maybe the bunion improved some too) with wide toe box footwear and strengthening. @Romelia Schneider direct any young people who are related to you to the Gait Happens website and YouTube account. Another good source is called The Foot Collective. For kids, the child posture specialist Juliana Lucky has exercises to strengthen kids feet. Bunions do not necessarily get worse. We are born with pizza slice shaped feet and pizza slice shaped footwear is better 🍕🍕 My current favourite are Altra Running Shoes in the Lone Peak style, I recommend those shoes and hopefully your relatives will try them or something similar and avoid foot pain 🙂
Mine is calmed down, not inflamed anymore from wearing wide toe shoes. It still looks weird but I’ll take it over the pain! I couldn’t even walk! Get some new shoes and keep that puppy up as much as you can so it can calm itself. I used this gel version of ibuprofen, only thing the that eased the pain when it was inflamed. Nike 270’s don’t do it! lol! Luck to you man if you decide surgery is right for you or not!
I had a bunion. On one foot. I suspect an injury 30 years ago allowed the metatarsal to slowly drift
Have a look at Fitville shoes
I inherited my bunion from my dad's side, brother has it too. Mine isn't as severe as I've seen witjin the group but now approaching my 40s, the pain is getting alot. My knee on the same leg is now affected. Couldn't care what it looks like. Im uk based im currently waiting for surgery within the coming months. Been told strictly 3 weeks complete bed rest, followed by heel walking, toe exercises. Been told to expect 8-12 weeks of recovery.
If you can make it to Jersey I explored many options and this was the best surgeon and care. Dr Daniel Popowitz 177 North Dean St. Suite 302 Engelwood, NJ (201) 510 - 3777 He was out of network but he said his office would make it work for me and not to worry. You have a bunion and a hammer toe. Dr Popowitz did the surgery at the local hospital and put Ossio screws (non metal) in my foot which eventually become bone and fixed my hammer toe so no need for metal or for repeat surgeries. I had no pain post surgery but just some slight discomfort. I took a 6 week leave and off my feet completely for the first 2 weeks post surgery. It will only get worse and I’m relieved of all the discomfort. I can wear any shoe! I have 0 issues now. It’s wild. I was dealing with what you are for about 4-5 years before I decided.
If it’s manageable, I would leave it. However be wearing of wearing crocs full time. I did for 2 years as I also have sensory problems from adhd as well as bunions. And I got plantar fasciitis from my arches collapsing. It’s been so painful trying to recover from that and unfortunately due to my bunions, it’s hard to put my feet into the most supportive types of shoes to help fix this as well. I wish I’d stuck to shoes now.
If you do make sure is an Orthopedic Dr
I’m a man and had bunion surgery and more. When he got the bunion he got half the toe. Recovery is different for everyone. I had retired but if I had been working could have gone back in a couple of days
thank you. i will see a podiatrist locally and if surgery is recommended i will consider making the trip to new jersey
see if any doctors in your areas are well versed in Ossio You can go on their page and search or they will message you back with local doctors
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