Bunions are painful bumps that can form atop the joint of your big toe, causing the front part of your foot to lean outwards. Tailor’s bunions, or bunionettes, are bumps caused by an over prominent fifth metatarsal bone in the little toe. Both bunions and tailor’s bunions generally have hereditary causes and exhibit similar symptoms.
Symptoms of bunions and tailor’s bunions include redness, swelling, and a sensation of pain or soreness at the affected area. With bunions, these symptoms occur at the big toe and with tailor’s bunions they occur at the little toe. With both, these symptoms tend to get worse when wearing shoes that cause the foot to be constricted.Bunions and tailor’s bunions can usually be diagnosed through a visual exam, however x-rays may be taken to determine their severity.
Non-surgical treatments for bunions and tailor’s bunions include: altering footwear and activity level, supporting the foot with padding or orthotic devices, icing to reduce pain, or the use of oral or injected medications.
If surgery is needed, Dr. Yurkanin’s approach to bunion surgery corrects bunions anatomically. This may be performed with, traditional screw fixation, plates or through a percutaneous approach with a wire. In most cases, patients are able to walk immediately after surgery. If a wire is used to correct the bunion deformity, it is removed in the office within the first 3-4 weeks of the surgery.
