A bunion medically referred to as ‘hallux valgus is a bony malformation at your first MTP (metatarsophalangeal) joint or big toe’s base. A clear indication that you have a bunion is your toe growing or shifting inward instead of pointing forward. Additionally, you’ll experience numbing pain in and around the affected area which greatly increases while putting on shoes and walking. You’ll know about Flat Foot Celebrities with Bunions in this article.
You’re at risk of developing bunions if you consistently wear narrow, tight-fitting shoes that don’t offer ample wiggle room for your toes. Other risk factors for bunions include arthritis, genetics (responsible for an abnormal foot structure and shape), and the nature of the occupation.
Traditional therapeutic remedies include padding, orthotics, and orthopedic shoes with custom insoles, painkillers, and NSAIDs. An adjustable night splint can also go a long way in the realignment of your big toe. However, getting rid of the bunion through surgery is the last and only option if conservative procedures prove unsuccessful.
Flatfooted Individuals Are More Prone to Bunions
Most individuals have a hollow or depression below their feet’s arches while they’re standing, walking, or running. So it follows that the underneath of your foot close to the arch remains somewhat elevated as long as you’re standing. However, if you have a flat foot with a very low arch or hardly any arch, your feet will always be almost level with the ground.
Consequently, whenever you stand or walk, your feet will have a tendency to turn over towards the inside. On the other hand, when you’re in a sitting or sleeping position, your feet will project outward. Going by podiatric principles, people with flatfeet are more susceptible to pronation or overpronation, and therefore more vulnerable to bunions.
Flatfooted individuals were also at greater risk of developing hammer toe where the big curls downward (rather than projecting forward). People with pronated feet were more likely to develop hallux rigidus (where the first MTP joint becomes stiff), compared to individuals with supinated feet.
Related: How Long Does Toe Numbness Last After Wearing Heels?
Risk Factors Associated With Bunions
The following factors can make you highly vulnerable to developing bunions:-
- Ill-fitting and/or tight-fitting shoes –Your big toe is more likely to become deformed and develop a bunion if you wear excessively pointed, narrow, or taut shoes.
- Stiletto heels –Women who’re in the habit of wearing stilettos- or high-heeled footwear are also prone to having bunions. Stiletto heels keep your toes firmly clasped and shift the weight of your body on your feet’s front part, thereby boosting bunion development chances.
- Genetics –Most people develop bunions because of genetics or heredity. You could be genetically predisposed to be flatfooted or have a low arch which in turn makes you susceptible to bunions.
- Nature of job –If you’ve to remain on your feet or stand erect for a long time owing to your job, you could have bunions. Ballet dancers, gymnasts, and firefighters are at great risk of developing bunions owing to the excessive strain on their feet.
- Rheumatoid arthritis –You’re a good candidate for growing a bunion if you suffer from rheumatoid arthritis.
Flat foot Celebrities With Bunions
Women are more susceptible to bunions compared to men, as the former tend to wear tight-fitting shoes and high heels. Talking about fashionable women, especially celebrities and actresses increasingly suffer from bunions as they wear high-heels and stilettos. Since we regard celebrities in high esteem, we tend to forget that they’re as human as we are, and therefore equally vulnerable to bunions.
Though superstars, pop idols, and movie stars can easily afford expensive surgery to remove bunions, they usually avoid it. Celebrities are willing to put up with the pain and discomfort associated with bunions rather than opt for an operation. There are some good reasons why famous personalities and icons want to steer clear of a surgical procedure.
For a start, celebrities will have to discard wearing high heels following a successful operation, to prevent chances of recurrence. And that is something superstars find too hard to sacrifice as their status and fame depend largely on their looks. Secondly, the discomfiture and pain associated with the operation are more intense in comparison to the pain related to a bunion.
Last but not least, the long recovery time (ranging from 6-7 months) could easily discourage busy celebrities from opting for surgery. Some of the flatfooted celebrities with bunions include:-
- Kate Middleton
- Meghan Markle
- Naomi Campbell
- Victoria Beckham
- Uma Thurman
- Cameron Diaz
- Oprah Winfrey
- Tilda Swinton
- Jennifer Lopez
- Catherine Zeta-Jones
- Paris Hilton
Revealing Facts About Bunions
- Rolling the arch of the foot with a tennis ball, flexing or projecting the big toe can help cope with bunions
- Supporting the arch with a splint and wearing orthopedic shoes can assist in mitigating bunions
- Recurrent back and knee pain as well as muscle contractions and seizures are warning signs that you could develop bunions
- Ignoring the condition may lead to graver health issues such as abnormal gait and arthritis, eventually causing other foot problems
- Surgery is the best method for reinstating your toe’s natural position
- Toe spacers, bunion splints, and bunion pads can restore your affected foot’s natural position (but the bony bump may remain)
- More women suffer from bunions compared to men
- Genetic predisposition could make you susceptible to bunions, your efforts to prevent the condition notwithstanding
Coping With and Treating Bunions: Noninvasive Methods and Techniques
Nonsurgical methods for coping with bunions can go a long way in reducing pain and inflammation and preventing the condition from aggravating. Following are some of the noninvasive options for dealing with bunions:-
- Shoe orthotics
- Wearing proper and comfortable footwear
- Bunion exercises for boosting foot mobility and correcting gait
- Taking NSAIDs
- Flexing and pointing the big toe of your affected feet
Proplantar™ Adjustable Night Splint for Bunions
Proplantar™ Adjustable Night Splint can help ease pain resulting from bunion and stiffness of the base of the big toe. At the same time, this Proplantar™ Plantar Fasciitis Night Splint can be extremely effective in realigning the natural position of your first MTP joint.
You can wear this night splint before going to bed, for keeping your big toe straightened which in turn checks MTP joint stiffening.