There are steps you can take right now to protect your feet from bunions.
Does your mom complain about her bunions? Bunions are one of the main causes of chronic foot pain, after all. If you are concerned about developing bunions, our Abingdon, MD, podiatrist Dr. Michael Block can provide you with a variety of strategies to reduce your risk of developing this common foot deformity.
Keep Feet Strong
Just as you pump iron to keep the muscles, ligaments, and tendons in your body limber and strong, you’ll also want to do the same thing for your feet if you want to protect against bunions. After all, foot exercises can help to strengthen the ligaments and joints in your feet to prevent structural misalignments that could lead to bunions. Here are just some of the best foot exercises for preventing bunions.
Kiss Narrow Shoes Goodbye
Are you notorious for buying shoes that are just a little too tight? Do you often have to “break-in” new shoes? If so, then this problem alone could increase your risk for bunions. After all, forcing your foot into shoes that are too tight and narrow can put added pressure on the big toe joint, which can eventually cause permanent changes to the structure of the foot. If you can’t wiggle your toes when wearing certain shoes, this is a sign that those shoes are too tight.
Stay Away From High Heels
Along with shoes that are too tight, you’ll also want to avoid high heels. This means any shoes with a heel over 2 inches high. High heels push feet downward toward the front of the shoes, which can lead to toes being scrunched up and pressure being placed on the big toe joint. If you want to prevent bunions, stick to shoes with low or no heel, according to our Abington podiatrist.
Keep an Eye Out
Even with a lot of these measures in place, it is still possible for a bunion to form. This is especially true if you have a genetic predisposition to bunions. That’s why it’s important to recognize the early signs of a bunion so that you can turn to our Abingdon, MD, podiatrist for proper care. By caring for a bunion early on we can prevent it from progressing and causing serious foot problems.
If you notice changes in your feet that you think could be caused by a bunion, it’s important to see our Abingdon, MD, foot doctor right away for a proper evaluation. The sooner a bunion is treated the better. Call Dr. Michael Block today at (410) 569-0445.