Enjoy A Bunion Free Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is almost here, and like you, we’ll be dressing our best for festivities and feasts! Before we sit down to chow down, however, there’s trekking to do as we make our way to holiday destinations, which brings us to proper footwear.

We all have that one pair of shoes we love to put on but find uncomfortable to walk in. At PodiatryCare, P.C., and the Heel Pain Center, we know you want to look good, but we also want to remind you that certain high-fashion shoes have low-key costs. And unfortunately, those costs are paid by your feet. We’re talking, of course, about bunions.

This painful condition is anything but festive. It can seriously hamper mobility, causing pain and discomfort throughout your busy day. Consult the cheat sheet below for useful info and management strategies; when it's time to celebrate, you can put your feet up without worrying!

Wait, What’s a Bunion?

The story starts with genetics, but bunions get truly bad due to things like trauma, poor foot structure, and – perhaps most importantly- poorly fitting shoes.

  • The bone connected to your big toe drifts outward, pushing it sideways.

  • The big toe pushes into other nearby toes, leading to a related conditionhammertoes.

  • You’re likely to experience other complications, such as corns or calluses.

What Can I Do?

Initial treatment options can be effective at reducing pain and discomfort. Although your feet will be thankful when you stop stuffing them into restrictive shoes, and custom orthotics can slow down progression while reducing pain, surgery is the only option for eliminating bunions.

  • Bunion surgery tends to be an outpatient procedure.

  • You’ll likely be able to go home the day of the operation.

  • Recovery only takes a few days, meaning you can return to work (or vacation!) shortly.

Don’t let bunions bog down a great Thanksgiving! Dr. Charlotte George, Dr. Matthew Tschudy, Dr. Rebecca Wiesner, Dr. Kristen Winters, Dr. Laura Vander Poel, and the rest of our team are committed to assisting our Hartford County patients with the best treatment options available, and we’d love to hear from you. To schedule an appointment at our Enfield location, call (860) 741-3041; for an appointment at our South Windsor location, call (860) 644-6525.