Back to School and Work May Lead to Bunions
With us nearing the end of summer it means time for going back to school and back to work. We find that this time of year also results in more time on your feet along with some great fashionable footwear.
These changes to your footwear and activity levels can lead to new foot pains. Feet crammed in that fashionable footwear can lead to bunions. Your feet have been free to spread out and breath in those summer sandals, now getting back in the swing of school and leading into fall activities your feet will now be closed in to shoes.
What Causes Bunions?
You might be wondering what a bunion is and what causes it. According to the Mayo Clinic, a bunion is a bony bump that forms on the joint at the base of your big toe. It occurs when some of the bones in the front part of your foot move out of place. Similarly, the same bony bump can form on the outside of your foot at the base of your little toe and those are called bunionettes. Both of these can cause you to experience foot pain and both can lead to the need for potential surgery to correct if you are not regularly providing proper foot care. Bunions and bunionettes are debated as to whether these are genetic foot issues or if they are caused by your footwear or something else.
Are Bunions Genetic?
While some believe bunions to be completely genetic, some studies show that isnât the case. Katy Bowman, MS, shared some great insights about how and why bunions develop as well as some thoughts on how to relieve that foot pain in her book Every Womanâs Guide to Foot Pain Relief. Bowman shares that âboth the evidence and laws of physical science point to the fact that the majority of bunions are self-induced through footwear choices and gait.â According to Bowman, one of the biggest things you can do to prevent or stop the growth of bunions is to stop wearing shoes with toe boxes that are too small. The image to the right shows examples of toe boxes.
What Can I Do About My Bunions?
In severe cases, you may need surgery to correct bunions and bunionettes. In many cases, if you take action early and regularly you can avoid the need for bunion surgery as well as provide yourself with some much-needed foot pain relief. There are some everyday adjustments you can make to provide foot pain and bunion relief. We have outlined a few of the common everyday foot care practices you can put into action today:
- Correct fitting footwear
- Reduce time wearing tight toe box shoes
- Simple foot exercises
- Foot alignment & stretching
As we get back into school routines and start back into activities that mean more time on our feet and feet packed into those shoes, there will inevitably be some foot pains. Donât worry though, the everyday solutions above are easy ways to provide foot pain relief. We have a comfortable solution for foot alignment and stretching out those toes and feet with our original foot alignment socks. Check out our latest styles and large inventory of foot alignment socks today.
To help start you on your path to foot pain relief from bunions, use the code: BACK2SCHOOL to receive 10% off your next order of our foot alignment socks.