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Healthy Feet – The support in our life

People usually do not have a habit to think of the health of their feet. Many children and adults have lowered feet and other static deformities. That leads to some problems, such as: support apparatus and bad posture, varicose veins and capillaries, as well as (inside or outside) flat feet.

Feet pain and blisters are issues, as well, but the most common problems are bunions.

Click here to find out more about our bunion treatment programme

Bunions – Problems of the Contemporary Way of Life

The bunion (hallux vagus) is a bump-shaped deformity at the base of the big toe. As the bump grows, the big toe no longer has the support it had in its normal position, so the weight of the body is transferred to the front of the foot. Bunion is not only an aesthetic problem but an unpleasant health problem. Bunions are more common in women than men. Statistics say that a thumb moved to the side has 40% of women before the age of forty, even every other person after the age of fifty. In recent years, the number of men with a deformity of the big toe has been growing, which is attributed to wearing uncomfortable shoes with a narrow part and a pointed top.

Why do bunions form?

If we observe our bare feet on a flat surface with an upright body position, most of the weight of the body is transferred to the heel and a smaller part to the front of the foot. Experts have calculated that the heel suffers the greatest load, about 65% of the total human weight, the little toe carries about 25%, and the big toe itself even 10% of the weight.

Doctors warn that every centimeter above the optimal 3 centimeters of heel height is harmful to health, so that high heels contribute to pain in the foot, heel, toes, calves, knees, hips, back pain and neck. Today, narrow footwear and high heels are considered to be the main culprits for the formation of bunions.

Another common cause of bunions is a genetic predisposition, ie. heritage. Sometimes flat feet, popularly known as flat soles, can be the reason for the development of deformity of the big toe. And some other systemic diseases such as gout, rheumatoid arthritis.

How are the bunions treated?

There are two ways to treat bunions: non-surgical and surgical or operative treatment.

From Aleksandra Maksimović, a senior physiotherapist, we learned about the latest techniques and methods of successful non-surgical treatment of bunions.

“Hallucis Valgus is a big problem. It is known that women like beautiful shoes, but nice does not always mean comfortable and of high quality, and long-term wearing of uncomfortable shoes unequivocally leads to the appearance of bunions over time. Genetic – hereditary factor also has a very important influence on their formation. In fact, combined, these two factors represent a sure cause in the formation of bunions.

Bunion is actually a lateral deviation of the big toe, that is the thumb goes to the side and often rests on the other fingers. It is a structural deformation of the first bone of the foot or tissue around the metatarsophalangeal joint. That deformation – enlargement is what is the essence of the problem that bunions carry and what needs to be solved.

This is where severe pain occurs, which is often described as a sharp radiating pain in the foot. The skin in that area is usually red, sensitive, irritable in every way, so it is very difficult for people to find suitable comfortable footwear. So far, in solving the problem of bunions, patients have mostly decided on either surgery or the use of various orthotic aids. In surgery, the emphasis is on narrowing the structural angle between the first metatarsal bone and the first phalanx of the thumb as well as removing deformed tissue around the bone or joint… However, even after a successful operation, the most common consequence in the postoperative course is a rupture of the longus adductor muscle that passes over the bunion, which causes great pain and therefore makes patients grudgingly decide to have surgery. On the other hand, the use of orthotic aids aims to relieve pain and relieve the affected joint, but these effects are weak and do not give a lasting result.”

Click here to find out more about our bunion treatment programme

General recommendations

Wear high-heeled shoes only on exceptional occasions, no longer than 2 hours a day, never in shopping, walking, etc.

When buying shoes, make sure that the shoe is comfortable, made of soft leather or other natural material. Pay attention to the slope and thickness of the heel, heel, so that your foot does not slip forward, and leaves too much free space in the back in the part intended to fill the heel. The ideal heel height is 3-3.5 cm and the inner insole should be 5-8 mm thick. The shoes must be spacious enough so that the toes are not squeezed in them, but the whole foot is comfortably placed.

And finally, entrust the problems of your feet and ankles to an experienced therapist, because only healthy feet are a reliable support for your body.



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