Millions of people experience hallux valgus, which is popularly called simply a “bunion,” with women over forty years of age being most susceptible to the disease. Failure to seek medical help in a timely manner or improper treatment can lead to deformation of the fingers and feet, accompanied by severe pain and inflammation, which are very difficult to get rid of. Treatment of hallux valgus deformity involves either surgery or a permanently worn brace and takes quite a long time.
The “bone” that causes so much trouble is not actually a bone—it’s just a cartilage growth. But this cartilage performs an important function - it supports the big toe in the correct, straight position, that is, it participates in the formation of the foot. When the cartilage is deformed due to the sum of external and internal factors, the finger begins to bend, “creeping” onto the rest.
At first, a not very noticeable lameness appears, then it progresses, the gait becomes heavy and awkward. Calluses form on a protruding bone, your feet swell, your shoes rub all over, and it becomes increasingly difficult to choose the right model. Why do these deformations appear and how to deal with them? Let's look at these questions in more detail.
The reasons for the occurrence of such an unaesthetic and clearly unhealthy phenomenon are as follows:
to contents ^
Scheme of distribution of load on the foot depending on the height of the heel
When the foot receives heavy load, its structure changes. In a normal state, the support of the legs and the entire body is based on two arches - the longitudinal (“arch” located along the edge of the foot) and the transverse (relatively speaking, the junction of all the toes). But when the load begins to be distributed incorrectly, these natural shock absorbers stop working, and with the regularity of such atypical loads, they begin to change altogether.
Uneven distribution of weight, on the one hand, relaxes the ligaments, on the other, it allows the arches of the feet to become flat. As they flatten, they also flatten the metatarsal bones, one of which rests on the bone. Instead of a parallel position, the metatarsal bones go to the sides, and the big toe, on the contrary, goes inside the foot. Why?
A person, as a rule, does not change his preferences in shoes, and most autumn and winter boots are a priori narrow (with the possible exception of felt boots and UGG boots).
They continue to deform the feet, acting as a natural brace and pushing the big toe “inside” the foot.
As a result, a valgus angle is formed - that very deviation of the big toe from its natural position, which worries everyone who struggles with an unpleasant bunion.
The whole process can be divided into stages:
It is quite obvious that such changes greatly affect not only the aesthetic appearance, but also the comfort of walking, significantly reducing the quality of life. Treatment of foot deformities is carried out by an orthopedic doctor and a surgeon. The patient is usually offered three methods to solve the problem:
All those who have already discovered the first stage of the disease or know about a hereditary tendency to cartilage deformation should adhere to preventive measures. Doctors usually advise the following:
Those who have already been diagnosed with hallux valgus should wear at least a weak brace so that they do not have to treat a progressive disease later. A good option is a special splint worn at night: while a person sleeps, it straightens the foot, returning it to its original position, helping to get rid of fatigue and gradually returning the toe to its natural place. Such a splint will help remove the bone that has begun to appear, but already at the second stage of the disease it will be powerless.
You can always remove the bone surgically, but it is much easier (and better for your health!) to prevent the development of the disease even before you have to take decisive action.
Have you ever experienced unbearable joint pain? Judging by the fact that you are reading this article, you or your loved ones are faced with this problem. And you know firsthand what it is:
You've probably tried a bunch of medications, creams, ointments, injections, doctors, examinations, and, apparently, none of the above has helped you. And there is an explanation for this: it is simply not profitable for pharmacists to sell a working product, as they will lose customers! This is precisely what leading rheumatologists and orthopedists in Russia jointly opposed, presenting a long-known popularly effective remedy for JOINT PAIN, which REALLY TREATS, and not just relieves pain! Read more.
What to do if a bone in your foot grows and hurts. Protrusion of the bone at the base of the big toe is a common problem that can occur for various reasons, and in order to get rid of it, you must first eliminate its cause and only then can you begin full treatment.
Many women suffer from growing and painful bones located in the area where the first big toe connects to the foot. Protrusion can spoil the appearance of beautiful women's legs and will force them to part with shoes and sandals forever. This is one of those problems that is very easy to deal with at the initial stage, but impossible to do without surgical treatment when profound changes have occurred.
Hallux valgus is a rather painful cosmetic defect that brings incredible suffering to its owner. Externally, all bumps, regardless of the cause that caused them, are very similar and have similar symptoms: they cause intense pain, interfere with walking, and bleed when rubbed. In 98% of cases, growths develop in women, and only 2% in men.
Initially, several main reasons for the formation of hallux valgus can be identified:
The disease primarily affects older people. Almost every third person who has reached retirement age suffers severe pain caused by a protruding bone.
The first symptoms of hallux valgus can make themselves felt as early as 30 years of age, and gymnasts and ballerinas begin to get sick at a young or even childhood age.
The effectiveness of treatment for hallux valgus depends on the attitude of the patient himself. The doctor will not be able to help if the patient does not systematically follow all the doctor’s instructions.
Excellent results are obtained by wearing an orthopedic bandage that fixes the bone. Various versions of the device have been developed, which differ from each other in price and method of fixing the finger. Despite such diversity, all types of orthopedic bandages have one goal in common - keeping the joint in the correct physiological position and preventing protrusion.
Special insoles designed to be placed in shoes. During the day, this insole provides massage and helps to relax your feet. With the help of the insole, the foot takes a comfortable position, which has a positive effect on its muscles, bones and joints.
Systematic foot massage not only relieves fatigue or relaxes the foot muscles, but also helps strengthen them. Strong muscles will not allow the bone to take an unnatural position.
Normalization of weight. Every extra kilogram puts additional stress on your legs. Getting rid of extra pounds can also be called part of a treatment program that is aimed at correcting deformity.
The fact that the bone has begun to grow will be indicated by redness of the skin and pain in the area where the toe connects to the foot. The intensity of pain may increase with prolonged walking or physical activity. In addition to pain, there is a feeling of bulging in this area. The disease is characterized by a rapid course and, as a rule, very little time passes from the onset of the first symptoms until the moment when a person cannot put on his favorite shoes.
The first degree is characterized by the development of deformation not exceeding 20 degrees. Visually, the changes may not yet be noticeable, and excessive fatigue in the legs may occur even with short walking.
The second degree is observed with a curvature of 20 to 30 degrees. This degree is characterized by the development of pain during prolonged walking, and the protrusion becomes noticeable during examination.
The third degree is observed when bulging up to 50 degrees. The patient complains of pain even with minor physical activity. A person is forced to completely stop wearing hard leather models. Movement is only possible in soft shoes without heels.
The fourth degree is characterized by the development of deformation of more than 50 degrees. The patient constantly suffers from intense pain in the foot, which occurs not only during physical activity, but also at rest. In addition to pain, swelling of the foot develops.
The fixation bandage is effective only at the early stage of the disease. In case of profound changes, surgery cannot be avoided.
To eliminate the deformity, the doctor may prescribe massage and special exercises.
If your feet hurt from heels, then you should follow the following to get rid of this pain.
The heel should be no more than five centimeters for a woman, and no more than one and a half centimeters for a man. Of course, high heels look stunning, but it is also stunning for the legs themselves, literally speaking, if you approach this without preparation, that is, gradually increase its height. Increase the height of the heel gradually, but remember that a height above nine centimeters is considered by orthopedists to be harmful to the ankle, which is why it should be worn only on special occasions.
But your feet hurt from heels not only when you lift them, but when you switch to lower shoes. If a woman has been wearing high heels for a very long time, the heel tendon can become very short and of course it will take time to stretch again. This also applies to the back muscles, which also get used to constant tension. Putting on sneakers right away will be very problematic and will become a huge stress for your feet and back. Initially, you will need to wear a heel of about four centimeters, and only after adapting to it, sports shoes.
Heels that are too thin cause pain due to their instability, as they are the main provocateurs of dislocations, microtraumas, and sprains.
The most comfortable and safest heel is considered to be one in which the center of gravity of the entire body falls in the middle of the heel.
For diseases such as flat feet, you should consult an orthopedist before you think about wearing heels. It is a known fact that women are susceptible to this disease four times more often than men.
If a woman with flat feet wears a heel that is too high, she may experience the following unpleasant symptoms:
Prevention of flat feet can be done in any free time, this is walking barefoot, massage. If you spend most of your time standing at work, try standing for at least thirty seconds on the outside of your feet, up to four times a day.
Externally, you can observe redness of the joint, and a local increase in temperature to the touch is evidence of the presence of arthritis, that is, inflammation of the knee joint. The most common causes of leg pain behind the knees are.
During menstruation, pain in the lower abdomen is caused by substances similar to hormones - prostaglandins. They cause strong contractions of the uterus, which leads to pain. Also, if there is a plus to such pain, you are overcome by that.
The most common cause of calf pain is vascular disease. When a person remains in one position for a long time (sitting or standing), venous blood stagnates. You can get rid of this with the help of a special massage. Therefore this reason.