A bunion is a bony lump on the side of the foot at the base of the big toe. The most common cause of bunions is footwear that does not have enough width to fit the toes in their natural position. They are occasionally associated with arthritis of the joint at the base of the big toe.
As a private patient at The Horder Centre you can get faster access to the very best orthopaedic consultants.
Putting padding over the bunion or a spacer between your big toe and second toe can help.
Using wide-fitting shoes from a good-quality shoe shop may be enough. If not, the orthotics (surgical appliances) department at the hospital will be able to give you advice about special shoes.
Various anaesthetic techniques are possible. The operation usually takes 30 minutes to an hour. The operation may involve removing the bunion, releasing or tightening ligaments, realigning your big toe, stiffening a joint and straightening your smaller toes.
General complications
Specific complications
You should be able to go home the same day or the day after.
Spend most of the time during the first week with your leg raised so that the swelling settles.
Regular exercise should help you to return to normal activities as soon as possible. Before you start exercising, ask the healthcare team or your GP for advice.
It can take six weeks or longer before the swelling has gone down enough for you to wear a normal soft shoe.
Bunion surgery
Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon Andrew Skyrme talks about the different surgery options for bunions.
Horder Healthcare provides the highest quality services to NHS, privately insured and self pay patients, from initial consultation and diagnostic tests right through to surgical treatment and rehabilitation.
We reinvest our profit to benefit more people and help us achieve our aim of advancing health.
