When men come into my office with foot pain caused by bunions, their first reaction is often surprise.  

“I thought those were caused by high heels,” or “I thought only women got those,” are some of the most common initial responses to their diagnoses. I began practicing podiatry more than 15 years ago, and bunions are one of the most common conditions patients seek treatment for, but far too many of them wait months, or even years before recognizing that they have a foot problem. I hope that by sharing information about this painful and progressive bone deformity, more people will dismiss the stigma and myths associated with it so that they can receive proper treatment.  

Myth #1: “Bunions are a simple overgrowth of bone or callous on the side of the big toe.” 

The idea that bunions are a harmless callous or evidence of bone overgrowth could not be farther from the truth. Bunions are actually a complex bone deformity that occurs when an unstable joint at the top of the foot allows the bones to lean, elevate and rotate out of alignment.  

Bunions are a progressive condition and they usually form slowly over the course of years. While they may start as simple annoyances at first, bunions can become extremely uncomfortable or painful as they worsen. Typical symptoms of bunions include the telltale bump on the side of the toe, pain, swelling, pressure and numbness, especially when wearing tight shoes or after being on one’s feet for a long time.  

Eventually, many patients are forced to decrease or completely stop doing the physical activities they love including running, hiking, skiing, and even just walking around their neighborhoods. If their bunion goes untreated for too long, it can lead to other foot problems including arthritis, callouses, hammertoes and bone spurs.  

Myth #2: “Only older women develop bunions as a result of years of wearing narrow and high heeled shoes.” 

It’s no secret that bunions often appear unsightly and as a result, many people suffering from them hide their feet and don’t talk about the condition. Patients are often surprised to learn that about 25% of adults in the United States have bunions—regardless of their gender or footwear choices. The condition often runs in families, but in my experience, women seem more likely to seek treatment because their footwear may aggravate their symptoms.  

I hope that by dispelling the myth that bunions are a “women’s” problem, more men who are suffering from the deformity will feel comfortable speaking to their physician about the problem and possible solutions for it.  

Myth #3: “Shaving a bunion off is the only way to remove it.” 

When patients with bunions first consult a healthcare provider about treating the condition, they are often initially encouraged to try using noninvasive methods to address their pain. There are countless devices including toe separators, shoe inserts, bunion pads and splints that are marketed as solutions or even “cures” for bunions, but these do not address the root cause of the bunion.

For many years, the standard bunion correction procedure was a 2D osteotomy, commonly known as “Shave it Off” surgery. This procedure involves shaving or cutting off the protruding bone on the side of the big toe and shifting the remaining bone over. While the cosmetic aspect of the bunion is addressed using this approach, the root cause—the skeletal instability in the foot—is not corrected. Studies of traditional bunion surgery outcomes have shown high variability with up to 78% recurrence.

Now, a procedure called Lapiplasty® 3D Bunion Correction™ is available to provide patients with bunions with an alternative to traditional surgical procedures. The approach involves using a system of patented titanium plates and screws to secure the unstable bones in the foot in their proper positions. By addressing the root cause of this instability, all three dimensions of the bunion deformity are corrected, as is the cosmetic bump on the side of the big toe.  

Myth #4: “Having bunion removal surgery comes with a long painful recovery and you might never be able to do high-impact activities again.” 

The Lapiplasty® Procedure has been performed on patients of a wide variety of ages and lifestyles. Many patients who undergo the Lapiplasty® Procedure are able to bear weight on their treated foot while wearing a surgical walking boot within 3-10 days after surgery. They are typically cleared for physical activities about four months after surgery.  

As a physician, it’s exciting for me to see patients who were once held captive by bunion pain recover from the Lapiplasty® Procedure and return to the activities they once enjoyed. Candidates for the procedure come from all walks of life and I have treated everyone from marathon runners to stay-at-home parents. I encourage anyone who is living with this painful and disruptive deformity to visit a qualified provider and see what treatments they are a candidate for. 

Lapiplasty® is a surgical procedure. There are risks associated with surgery. Potential risks include infection, pain, implant loosening and loss of correction with improper bone healing. As with any medical treatment, individual results may vary and recovery takes time. For more information on benefits, risks and recovery, visit Lapiplasty.com/BabyBoomersNational.  

To schedule an appointment with me, call 212-874-0564 or visit CentralParkSole.com.  

Author Bio: Brad Schaeffer, board-certified podiatrist and foot surgeon at Central Park SOLE in New York City and star of TLC’s My Feet Are Killing Me. Dr. Schaeffer is known to bring his eye of aesthetic medicine and attention to detail to every patient that he treats!

References:
American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons (ACFAS) Website ©2023
WebMD Website ©2023
D'Arcangelo PR, et al. J Foot Ankle Res. 2010. 3:20
Nix S, et al. J Foot Ankle Res. 2010. 27:3:21
Lagaay PM et al, J Foot Ankle Surg. 2008. Vol 47(4):267–272 (*Ranging from 1.8%-78% recurrence at an average of 2.5-14 years post-surgery)
Jeuken RM, et al. Foot Ankle Int. 2016. 37:687-95  (*Ranging from 1.8%-78% recurrence at an average of 2.5-14 years post-surgery)
Dayton P, et al. J Foot Ankle Surg. 2018. 57:766-770
Ray J, et al. Foot Ankle Int. 2019 Aug;40(8):955-960