knee2toe bunions

BUNIONS
What are bunions?
What most people call a bunion is actually known as "Hallux valgus". Hallux valgus refers to the condition in which the big toe is angled excessively towards the second toe – and a bunion is a symptom of the deformity.
“In a normal foot, the big toe and the long bone that leads up to it (the first metatarsal) are in a straight line,” “However, Hallux valgus occurs when the long foot bone veers towards your other foot and your big toes drifts towards your second toe.”
A bunion actually refers to the bony prominence on the side of the big toe. This can also form a large sac of fluid, known as a bursa, which can then become inflamed and sore.
Is it serious?
“Some people have massive bunions that aren’t that painful but cause difficulties with shoes, while others have relatively small bunions that are very painful,” just because you have Hallux valgus doesn’t mean you’ll get the bursa.
Pressure from the big toe joint can lead to a deformity in the joint of the second toe, pushing it toward the third toe and so on. Likewise, if the second toe and big toe cross over, it can be difficult to walk.
“Once the big toe leans toward the second toe, the tendons no longer pull the toe in a straight line, so the problem tends to get progressively worse,”
This condition can also encourage corns and calluses to develop.
Who gets them?
“Women tend to get bunions more than men,” “This could be due to the more restrictive footwear they wear, (such as high heels or narrow toe boxes which force the big toe towards the little toes) but women also tend to have looser ligaments, making them slightly more prone.” You’re also more likely to get bunions if your parents or grandparents have them.
What causes bunions?
“No one single cause has been proven,”. “There are a number of causes, and though shoes can exacerbate the problem, bunions do occur in societies that don’t wear them.”
Because we walk on the same type of ground all the time, whereas the human foot was actually designed to adapt to varying terrains. In a sense, a bunion is a type of repetitive strain injury. And like repetitive strain injury, some people are more prone to it than others. One theory - though it remains unproven - is that bunions are caused by one or both of the following:
1) Because the foot wasn’t designed to constantly walk on a level surface, the ball of the big toe is slightly lower than the ball of the rest of your foot. When your foot meets the ground, the ball of the big toe is pushed up, and the big toe joint can’t bend as well as it was designed to. In order for the big toe joint to bend fully as you walk, your foot rolls slightly over to the side (this is also why people with hallux valgus often get hard skin).
2) Also, if your midtarsal joint tends to move from side to side more than it does up and down, the arch in your foot collapses as your foot rolls in. This also makes you more prone to developing bunions.
Such problems can be exacerbated by tight footwear. “Slip-on shoes can make matters worse,” “Because they have to be tighter to stay on your feet, you automatically have less room for your toes. And with nothing to hold your foot in place, your toes often slide to the end where they’re exposed to lots of pressure. Likewise, high heels throw more weight onto the ball of the foot, putting your toes under further pressure.”