The tailor's bunion is a bunion on the little toe located at the fifth metatarsal joint where the small toe meets with the foot. Similar to a big toe bunion, the causes are usually the same and in most cases is the result of excess pressure being placed on the joints by ill fitting shoes with a restrictive toe box. Tailors commonly suffered from the condition, giving their professions name to the deformity. Long periods spent sitting in a cross legged position on hard floors caused constant and unnatural pressure on the joints. At first the bones of the small toe were pushed towards the others, but over time the movement became permanent, with excess bone forming and the metatarsal head being pushed out from the side of the foot. More recently it is women who suffer most, from wearing high heels with a narrow toe box, causing similar pressure on the joints, triggering the development of the deformity.
Diagnosis is straightforward, with a doctor usually being able to diagnose the problem visually, however any lump on the outside of the joint of the little toe is likely to be a tailor's bunion. In order to correct the problem, the toe needs to be encouraged back into a normal position, and the cause needs to be isolated and eliminated. This invariably means a change of footwear, with the high heels and narrow shoes going back in the wardrobe in favour of footwear with a wide toe box and soft, supple and forgiving uppers. With the pressure eased, the condition can abate without any further treatment.
If the condition has been allowed to deteriorate, the ligaments of the toe can shorten, making straightening the toe difficult. In such cases, exercises can help to encourage stretching of the ligaments, with toe stretchers being a great choice. They gently stretch the muscles and ligaments to allow the toe to return to the natural position over time. Wearing a toe straightening device can help to ensure good bone alignment when wearing shoes, and during the night, a bunion night splint is a good choice, allowing the toe to be kept straight for a continuous 8 hours of treatment. At night, the muscles and ligaments in the feet relax, making it one of the most effective times to undergo home treatment. If wearing shoes is painful, bunion pads are a very cheap way of gaining pain relief. Sitting in the side of the shoe they prevent rubbing and the associated pain.
In some cases, especially when the condition has been allowed to develop for many months, a bunionectomy is the only option. This is the surgical removal of excess bone which prevents the toe from naturally returning to the correct position, and may also involve the repositioning of tendons and ligaments, reconstruction, or part-destruction of the joint. Usually conducted under local anaesthetic, it is a procedure which is highly successful, however best avoided. Undergoing early treatment and getting an early diagnosis is by far the best way to ensure that the tailor's bunion is corrected before becoming severe enough to warrant surgical correction.
Diagnosis is straightforward, with a doctor usually being able to diagnose the problem visually, however any lump on the outside of the joint of the little toe is likely to be a tailor's bunion. In order to correct the problem, the toe needs to be encouraged back into a normal position, and the cause needs to be isolated and eliminated. This invariably means a change of footwear, with the high heels and narrow shoes going back in the wardrobe in favour of footwear with a wide toe box and soft, supple and forgiving uppers. With the pressure eased, the condition can abate without any further treatment.
If the condition has been allowed to deteriorate, the ligaments of the toe can shorten, making straightening the toe difficult. In such cases, exercises can help to encourage stretching of the ligaments, with toe stretchers being a great choice. They gently stretch the muscles and ligaments to allow the toe to return to the natural position over time. Wearing a toe straightening device can help to ensure good bone alignment when wearing shoes, and during the night, a bunion night splint is a good choice, allowing the toe to be kept straight for a continuous 8 hours of treatment. At night, the muscles and ligaments in the feet relax, making it one of the most effective times to undergo home treatment. If wearing shoes is painful, bunion pads are a very cheap way of gaining pain relief. Sitting in the side of the shoe they prevent rubbing and the associated pain.
In some cases, especially when the condition has been allowed to develop for many months, a bunionectomy is the only option. This is the surgical removal of excess bone which prevents the toe from naturally returning to the correct position, and may also involve the repositioning of tendons and ligaments, reconstruction, or part-destruction of the joint. Usually conducted under local anaesthetic, it is a procedure which is highly successful, however best avoided. Undergoing early treatment and getting an early diagnosis is by far the best way to ensure that the tailor's bunion is corrected before becoming severe enough to warrant surgical correction.