Narrow shoes and high heels can cause bunions, and party season brings both out of the closet. An Orland Park podiatry practice explains how to protect the big toe joint and when to see a podiatrist.

Work parties, family dinners and holiday events bring out the dress shoes and heels that sit in the closet most of the year, and for people with bunions that can mean weeks of rubbing and pain at the base of the big toe. According to Foot & Ankle Associates, Ltd., bunions can be caused by uncomfortable or restrictive shoes, narrow footwear, or high heels, which is one reason bunions are common in women.

The practice, which has an Orland Park location on West 143rd Street, says the sore spot is usually the metatarsophalangeal, or MTP, joint, found at the base of the big toe. Tape and pads for bunions are designed to reduce the pressure on that joint, and gel-filled or soft bunion pads protect it from rubbing against shoes.

Footwear does most of the work. The practice suggests getting feet measured to choose wide shoes with plenty of space for the toes, and choosing shoes made of stretchy materials, with good cushioning and arch support. After a long evening on your feet, ice can decrease swelling, and a warm-water soak can reduce pain after a long day of standing and walking.

Those steps help, but the practice notes that at-home bunion treatments are all short-term solutions. A podiatrist can advise on the right long-term course, from wearing a splint at night to one of many minimally-invasive bunion surgery options. Foot & Ankle Associates provides specialty-trained, board-certified physicians at its Orland Park, Oak Lawn and Peru locations.

The Orland Park location is at 10811 W. 143rd Street, Suite 100.

"The holidays are when a lot of bunions flare up, because people go from sneakers to narrow dress shoes for a whole evening. Pads, a wider shoe and an ice pack afterward help a lot. But if the joint hurts every time you dress up, come in, because home care only buys time and there are good long-term options," said a spokesperson for Foot & Ankle Associates, Ltd.

• Choose party shoes with a wide toe box and a lower heel.
• Use a gel or soft pad over the joint at the base of the big toe.
• Bring a comfortable pair to change into for long events.
• Ice the joint afterward to bring swelling down.
• See a podiatrist if the bump is growing or the pain keeps returning.

Foot & Ankle Associates in Orland Park is at 10811 W. 143rd Street, Suite 100. Patients with bunion pain can learn more about seeing a Podiatrist online or call (708) 304-4758.

About Foot & Ankle Associates, Ltd.

Foot & Ankle Associates, Ltd. is a podiatry practice with locations in Orland Park, Oak Lawn and Peru, Illinois, providing specialty-trained, board-certified physicians focused on foot and ankle care. The practice treats sports and trauma injuries and offers corrective foot and ankle surgery, diabetic foot care, ulcer and wound management, pediatric foot and ankle care and ankle replacement surgery. More information is available at footandankleinstitute.com.

Contact Information:

Foot & Ankle Associates, Ltd. (Orland Park, IL)

10811 W 143rd St #100
Orland Park, IL 60467
United States

A spokesperson for Foot & Ankle Associates, Ltd.
(708) 304-4758
https://www.footandankleinstitute.com/