Tailor's Bunion

Tailor’s bunion are less common than a regular bunion, but can be just as painful and troublesome. Here at Affiliated Ankle and Foot Care, of Soldotna, AK, we want you to be able to identify the difference and maybe save yourself some trouble if you are experiencing foot pain.

While a regular bunion is a bump formed in the joint at the base of the big toe, a tailor’s bunion, also known as a bunionette, is formed in the joint at the base of the little toe. They earned their name, tailor’s bunion, by being a well-known foot problem of tailors. These days, the bunionettes are usually caused by not wearing proper shoes. Shoes that do not allow enough room for toes, high-heels, and pointy-toed shoes push in the little toe, deforming the base joint. Inherited predispositions to bunionettes are also to blame.

While the pain in a normal bunion is usually experienced in the bump that forms, with a bunionette, pain is usually felt inside of the joint. Toe spacers and foot padding worn inside shoes can help relieve pain and move the little toe back to its normal positon. Icing the area at the end of the day will also help relieve pain and swelling.

If you have been experiencing pain or even have developed a bump on your little toe joint, schedule an appointment here at Affiliated Ankle and Foot Care of Soldotna, AK. Call (907) 260-3668 or visit our website, www.hcotler.com.