Bunions (Hallux Abducto Valgus) in Orange County

If the joint that connects your big toe to your foot has a swollen, sore bump, you may have a bunion. More than one-third of women in America have bunions, a common deformity often blamed on wearing tight, narrow shoes and high heels. Bunions may occur in families, but many are from wearing tight shoes. Our Orange County Podiatrist / Foot and Ankle Surgeon can help with your painful bunion deformity in Orange County at our Irvine, CA, Huntington Beach, CA, Newport Beach, CA, or Orange, CA offices.

 

With a bunion, the base of your big toe (metatarsophalangeal joint) gets larger and sticks out. The skin over it may be red and tender, and wearing any type of shoe may be painful. This joint flexes with every step you take, so the bigger your bunion gets, the more it hurts to walk. Painful swelling (Bursitis) may also occur. Your big toe may angle toward your second toe or move all the way over or under it.

In addition, the skin on the bottom of your foot may become thicker and painful. Pressure from your big toe may force your second toe out of alignment, sometimes overlapping your third toe. An advanced bunion may make your foot look deformed. If your bunion gets too severe, it may be difficult to walk. Your pain may become chronic and you may develop arthritis.

 

Relief from Bunions in Orange County

Most bunions in Orange County are treatable without surgery. Prevention is always best. To minimize your chances of developing a bunion, never force your foot into a tight shoe that doesn't fit. Choose shoes that conform to the shape of your feet. Choose shoes with wide insteps, broad toes, and soft soles. Avoid shoes that are short, tight, or sharply pointed, as well as those with heels higher than 2&1/4 inches.

 

If you already have a bunion, wear shoes that are roomy enough to not put pressure on it. This should relieve most of your pain. You may want to have your shoes stretched out professionally. You may also try protective pads to cushion the painful area.
 

Surgical Treatment of Bunions in Orange County
If your bunion has progressed to the point where you have difficulty walking or experience pain despite accommodative shoes, you may need surgery. Bunion surgery in Orange County realigns bone, ligaments, tendons, and nerves so your big toe can be placed back to its correct position. Our Orange County Foot and Ankle Surgeon / Orange County Podiatrist has several techniques to ease your pain. Most bunion surgeries in Orange County are done on a same-day basis (no hospital stay) using sedation and local anesthesia. Full Recovery usually occurs over a three to six-month period and may include persistent swelling and stiffness. 

 

​

Hammertoes in Orange County

A hammertoe in Orange County is a deformity of the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, or 5th toe. In this condition, the toe is bent at one of the middle joints, so that it resembles a hammer. Initially, many hammertoes are flexible and can be corrected with simple measures. If left untreated, they can become fixed and require surgery. Our Orange County Podiatrist / Foot and Ankle Surgeon can help with your painful hammertoe deformity in Orange County at our Irvine, CA, Huntington Beach, CA, Newport Beach, CA, or Orange, CA offices.

​

What signs indicate a hammertoe?

People with hammertoe deformities in Orange County may have corns or calluses on the top of the toe from rubbing in shoes or in the tip of the toe, due to increased pressure. They may also feel pain in their toes or feet and have difficulty finding comfortable shoes.
 

What causes a hammertoe?

Hammertoes result from shoes that don't fit properly or a muscle imbalance, usually in combination with one or more other factors. Muscles work in pairs to straighten and bend the toes. If the toe is bent and held in one position long enough, the muscles tighten and cannot stretch out.

Shoes that narrow toward the toe may make your forefoot look smaller, but they also push the smaller toes into a bent (flexed) position. The toes rub against the shoe, leading to the formation of corns and calluses, which further aggravate the condition. A higher heel forces the foot down and squishes the toes against the shoe, increasing the pressure and the bend in the toe. Eventually, the toe muscles become unable to straighten the toe, even when there is no confining shoe. 

 

Hammertoe treatment options in Orange County

Conservative treatment of Hammertoes in Orange County starts with new accommodative shoes that have soft, roomy toe boxes. Shoes should be one-half inch longer than your longest toe. Avoid wearing tight, narrow, high-heeled shoes. You may also be able to find a shoe with a deep toe box that accommodates the hammertoe. Sandals may help, as long as they do not pinch or rub other areas of the foot.

 

Our Orange County Podiatrist / Foot and Ankle Surgeon may also may recommend that you use commercially available straps, cushions or non-medicated corn pads to relieve symptoms. If you have diabetes, poor circulation or a lack of feeling in your feet, talk to our podiatrist / foot and ankle surgeon before attempting any self-treatment.

 

Hammertoe Surgery in Orange County

If conservative treatment fails to alleviate your painful symtoms, you may need surgery. Hammertoe surgery in Orange County realigns and straightens the toe, placing it back to its correct position. Our Orange County Foot and Ankle Surgeon / Orange County Podiatrist has several techniques to ease your pain and restore your toe to a more desirable position. Many hammertoe surgeries in Orange County are done on a same-day basis (no hospital stay) using sedation and local anesthesia. at one of our surgery centers in the Irvine, Newport Beach, Huntington Beach, Laguna Woods, and Orange, CA areas.

​

Please contact our office in Irvine, Orange, Newport Beach, or Huntington Beach in Orange County, CA to make an appointment with our foot and ankle surgeon / podiatrist (Dr. Coyer) to have your bunion or hammertoe deformity in Orange County fully evaluated.