Free
E-newsletter
Subscribe to Housecall
Our weekly general interest
e-newsletter keeps you up to date
on a wide variety of health topics.
close window
Mayo Clinic Housecall
Stay up to date on the latest health information.
What you get
- Free weekly e-newsletter
- Mayo Clinic expertise
- Recipes, tools and other helpful information
- We do not share your e-mail address
Causes
By Mayo Clinic staff
Bunions develop when the pressures of bearing and shifting your weight fall unevenly on the joints and tendons in your feet. This imbalance in pressure makes your big toe joint unstable, eventually molding the parts of the joint into a hard knob that juts out beyond the normal shape of your foot.
Causes of bunions include:
- High-heeled or ill-fitting shoes
- Inherited foot type
- Foot injuries
- Deformities present at birth (congenital)
Bunions may be associated with various forms of arthritis, including inflammatory or degenerative forms, causing the protective cartilage that covers your big toe joint to deteriorate. An occupation that puts extra stress on your feet or one that requires you to wear pointed shoes also can be a cause.
References
- Bunions. American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. http://orthoinfo.aaos.org/topic.cfm?topic=A00155. Accessed Dec. 14, 2010.
- Bunions. American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons. http://www.footphysicians.com/footankleinfo/bunions.htm. Accessed Dec. 15, 2010.
- Klein SE. Conditions of the forefoot. In: DeLee JC, et al. DeLee and Drez's Orthopaedic Sports Medicine: Principles and Practice. 3rd ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders Elsevier; 2010. http://www.mdconsult.com/books/about.do?about=true&eid=4-u1.0-B978-1-4160-3143-7..X0001-2--TOP&isbn=978-1-4160-3143-7&uniqId=230100505-57. Accessed Dec. 15, 2010.
- Wexler D, et al. Bunion and bunionette. In: Frontera WR, et al. Essentials of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation: Musculoskeletal Disorders, Pain, and Rehabilitation. 2nd ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders Elsevier; 2008. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/208746819-6/0/1678/0.html. Accessed Dec. 15, 2010.
- Bunions. American Podiatric Medical Association. http://apma.org/MainMenu/Foot-Health/Foot-Health-Brochures-category/Learn-About-Your-Feet/Bunions.aspx. Accessed Dec. 15, 2010.
- Mann JA, et al. Foot & ankle surgery. In: Skinner HB. Current Diagnosis & Treatment in Orthopedics. 4th ed. New York, N.Y.: McGraw-Hill Medical; 2006. http://www.accessmedicine.com/content.aspx?aID=2321586. Accessed Dec. 15, 2010.
Find Mayo Clinic on