Bunions are really common, and many people think surgery is the only fix. The good news? In most cases, it isn't.

How to tell if you have a bunion

A bunion is when your big toe starts drifting towards the middle of your foot. You might notice:

• your big toe leaning in towards your other toes
• a bump forming on the side or over the top of your big toe joint (without treatment, a bony growth may develop here)
• shoes rubbing or irritating the joint
• pain in the joint. Bunions are usually painful, but not always.

Because the joint is out of alignment, bunions generally lead to osteoarthritis in the big toe joint over time. Many people also feel embarrassed by how their feet look.

Wondering why you've got one? Read What causes bunions?

Is surgery the only option?

Many people think so, but Foot Mobilisation Therapy (FMT) is extremely successful in most cases.

With FMT, we gently guide the joints back into the correct position, then strengthen the muscles around the joint to hold that new position. Along with the hands-on therapy you get in the clinic, this lets your body naturally straighten the bunion.

Don't wait until it hurts

We recommend treating a bunion as early as possible, even if it's not painful yet. Studies tell us we only feel pain in the later stages of a condition, so by the time it hurts, significant damage has already occurred. The sooner we start, the sooner we can address the underlying cause.

The results we commonly get

Here's a typical result from Corrective Foot Solutions:

Before treatment: 28 degrees

After treatment: 16 degrees

Want to see more? Read Heather's story, with before and after x-rays of both feet.

Think you have a bunion?

Call our Tauranga clinic on 07 925 0269 or book a bunion assessment online. We're at 1260a Cameron Road, Gate Pa.