Treatment FAQ

what is treatment for hallux valgus

by Rey Klocko Published 2 years ago Updated 2 years ago
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The important metatarsophalangeal joint can suffer arthritis (joint wear) due to the hallux valgus deformity. This joint wear can either be treated by preserving the joint (arthroscopy) or fusing the joint (arthrodesis).Apr 19, 2022

Medication

Shoes with a wider toe box and a comfortable upper are often helpful. Padding over the medial eminence or adjustments to the shoe to create more space medially can be helpful. However, nonoperative management cannot reverse hallux valgus deformity, and successful surgery may lead to an improved functional outcome.

Procedures

What is Hallux valgus? Hallux valgus is the most common deformity of the forefoot and the toes. 23% of 18-65 year olds and over 35% of those over 65 years have hallux valgus. Due to the noticeable form it’s also referred to as a bunion or ganglion. Here the big toe moves out of its alignment and points toward the outside edge of the foot.

Self-care

After correction of hallux valgus, patients can usually bear their full weight on the treated foot while wearing a flat surgical shoe. Proper surgical treatment results in a good or very good outcome in 85% of patients and a satisfactory result in a further 10%. Conclusion

Nutrition

Rotational scarf and akin osteotomy for correction of hallux valgus associated with metatarsus adductus. Foot Ankle Int2010;31:220-8. [PubMed] [Google Scholar] 33. Akin O. The treatment of hallux valgus: a new operative procedure and its results. Med Sentin1925;33:678-9.

How do you fix a hallux valgus deformity?

What is hallux valgus?

What is the prognosis of hallux valgus surgery?

What is the treatment for hallux valgus associated with metatarsus adductus?

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Can you correct hallux valgus?

Non-operative treatment of the hallux valgus cannot correct the deformity. However, insoles and physiotherapy in combination with good footwear can help to control the symptoms. There are many operative techniques for hallux valgus correction.

How do you treat hallux valgus without surgery?

Seven treatment options emerged as being commonly recommended by podiatrists for one or more patient types: advice regarding different footwear, custom orthotic devices, prefabricated orthotic devices, footwear modification, in-shoe padding, bunion shield padding, and muscle strengthening/retraining exercises (See Fig.

Is hallux valgus surgery painful?

Conclusions: As much as 31% of patients will have residual pain at 6 months after surgery. Preoperative VAS and MCS are predictors for residual pain. However, these patients will continue to improve over the next 18 months, with 71% of them being pain free at 2 years after surgery.

What is the typical cause of hallux valgus?

This foot deformity occurs from years of pressure on the big toe joint (the metatarsophalangeal, or MTP, joint). Eventually, the toe joint gets out of alignment, and a bony bump forms. The medical term for bunions is hallux abducto valgus.

What is the difference between bunion and hallux valgus?

Bunions (also known as hallux valgus) occur when there is misalignment of the first metatarsal (one of five long bones that run from mid-foot to the toes) in relation to the big toe. The often-noticeable "bump" is not new bone or overgrowth of bone but actually the metatarsal itself.

Is a Bunionectomy painful?

Is bunion surgery painful? No, the surgery itself isn't painful. A local anesthetic will be used to numb your foot so you don't feel pain. You will also be given a sedative to help make you more comfortable.

Are you put to sleep for bunion surgery?

Most bunion surgery is performed under ankle block anesthesia, in which your foot is numb, but you are awake. Occasionally, general or spinal anesthesia is used. Generally, bunion surgery follows this process: You will be asked to remove clothing and will be given a gown to wear.

Is hallux valgus a disability?

Thus, hallux valgus is one of the presumptive diseases on the list for service-connected disabilities, and the veteran is entitled to disability benefits and disability compensation.

What surgery would correct a hallux valgus deformity?

The so-called Scarf osteotomy is very well suited for correcting moderate to severe types of hallux valgus (from 17° to over 40°). Scarf osteotomy can also correct the rotation in the longitudinal axis of the big toe which often occurs in hallux valgus.

How do you test for hallux valgus?

The diagnosis is based on the appearance of the foot and the symptoms. An x-ray examination is used to determine the extent of the bunion and identify any changes in the joints.

Does hallux valgus cause arthritis?

Osteoarthritis of the first metatarsophalangeal joint may lead to patients having symptoms of both hallux valgus and hallux rigidus, not to mention pain with prolonged activity and difficulty for women in wearing high heels.

What is the difference between hallux valgus and hallux rigidus?

Unlike hallux rigidus, hallux valgus is the result of your bones shifting, with the resulting protrusion going outwards, and not upwards like with hallux rigidus's osteophyte. Hallux valgus, or a bunion, with a bump on the left big toe.

The Ganglion on The Big Toe

What is Hallux valgus? Hallux valgusis the most common deformity of the forefoot and the toes. 23% of 18-65 year olds and over 35% of those over 65...

Is Hallux Valgus A Cosmetic Or Medical Problem?

Hallux valgus is not always painful. Many of those afflicted - at least early on - consider this a cosmetic problem which becomes noticeable when w...

How to Recognise Hallux Valgus

1. Reddening and an enlarged ball forming at the metatarsophalangeal joint. 2. Active flexibility in the big toe is limited to the extent of stiffe...

How Does Hallux Valgus develop?

Hallux valgus always develops as a result of splayfoot. With splayfoot, the front arch of the foot (transverse arch) drops. The ends of the toes re...

Causes of Hallux Valgus: Injuries, Shoe Fashion and Weak Connective Tissue

One common cause for hallux valgus or bunions is a congenital weakness of the connective tissue. This then also affects the tendons stabilising the...

Which Problems and Symptoms Do Patients With Hallux Valgus Experience?

Whilst hallux valgus is a common foot deformity, it does not cause severe problems in all patients.The deformity of the toes seen in hallux valgus...

How Does A Specialist Diagnose Hallux Valgus?

Hallux valgus is typically even obvious to laymen. The orthopaedist usually recognises hallux valgus deformity upon looking at the foot. Hallux val...

Questions Answered by Palpating Hallux Valgus

Palpating the hallux valgus provides the experienced orthopaedist with additional information about the hallux valgus condition. Here the orthopaed...

Prognosis of Hallux Valgus

The prognosis of hallux valgus varies depending on the stage and patient group.In young patients with a flexible, and so still actively restorable...

Hallux Valgus Has A Self-Intensifying Course

The bunion - the swelling of the metatarsophalangeal joints at the inside of the food characteristic of hallux valgus - continues to increase due t...

How to evaluate hallux valgus?

Physical examination usually starts with observing the patient’s gait. The degree of hallux deformity and the presence of pes planus are evaluated with the patient standing. Range of motion of the ankle, subtalar, transverse tarsal and MTP joints, and first tarsometatarsal (TMT) joint mobility can be evaluated with the patient seated.4Limit ed range of motion in the first MTP joint indicates degenerative changes. The mobility of the first TMT joint is evaluated with the tip of one thumb beneath the second metatarsal head and the tip of the other thumb beneath the plantar aspect of the first. Dorsally directed force on the first metatarsal head then allows evaluation of the degree of instability of the first metatarsal with respect to the second.5Klaue defined hypermobility as a motion exceeding between 8 and 10 mm without a firm end-point.6

What is Hallux Valgus?

Hallux valgus deformity is a very common pathological condition which commonly produces painful disability. It is characterised as a combined deformity with a malpositioning of the first metatarsophalangeal joint caused by a lateral deviation of the great toe and a medial deviation of the first metatarsal bone.

What is the main indication for corrective fusion of the first TMT joint?

Moderate to severe hallux valgus deformities with subluxation of the hallux joint, hypermobility of the first TMT joint, or generalised laxity as well as recurrent hallux valgus are the main indications in the literature for a corrective fusion of the first TMT joint, the so-called modified Lapidus procedure (Fig. 7).36

What is the angle between the shaft axis of the first metatarsal and the proximal?

The hallux valgus angle (HVA) is defined as the angle between the shaft axis of the first metatarsal and the proximal phalanx of the hallux (standard 15° angle).

How many different operative techniques have been described for the correction of Hallux Valgus?

More than 100 different operative techniques have been described for the correction of hallux valgus. Overall, the appearance and the degree of the deformity determine surgical treatment strategies. Depending on the degree of the deformity, potential degenerative changes of the first MTP joint, size and the shape of the metatarsal and the joint congruency, a suitable technique is chosen. The role of hypermobility of the first TMT joint is controversial. To avoid confusion, we present our treatment algorithm for hallux valgus deformities (Fig. 2).

What is the surgical approach to release lateral soft tissue?

There are two surgical approaches for lateral soft-tissue release: the dorsal first web-space approach and the medial transarticular approach through a single medial incision. The dorsal-first web-space approach requires an additional incision, but allows a fairly easy release of the lateral soft-tissue and an excellent visualisation. A minimally-invasive modification of the dorsal approach is also described.21There is literature indicating that the release of the lateral soft-tissues through a medial incision tends to be incomplete22and that there is a risk of cartilage injury and flexor hallucis brevis injury.23

Can hallux valgus be corrected?

Non-operative treatment of the hallux valgus cannot correct the deformity. However, insoles and physiotherapy in combination with good footwear can help to control the symptoms.

How to stop bunion pain?

Your provider can recommend other treatment options, such as shoe gear modifications, physical therapy, medications and orthotics. Treatments can reduce pain and stop bunion symptoms from getting worse. If the pain becomes severe, surgery to remove the bunion and realign the big toe can help you get moving again.

How to prevent bunions in feet?

Avoid shoes that are narrow and pointed at the tip, and high heels that put pressure on the front of the foot. If you have flatfeet or another inherited structural foot problem, custom-fitted orthotics can help prevent, or slow the progression of, bunions.

What is the most common bunion on the big toe?

Juvenile or adolescent hallux valgus: Tweens and teens between the ages of 10 and 15 may develop bunions. Tailor’s bunion: Also called a bunionette, this bunion forms on the outside base of the little (pinky) toe.

What is a bunion on the outside of the big toe?

What is a bunion? A bunion is a bump that forms on the outside of the big toe. This foot deformity occurs from years of pressure on the big toe joint (the metatarsophalangeal, or MTP, joint). Eventually, the toe joint gets out of alignment, and a bony bump forms. The medical term for bunions is hallux abducto valgus.

How to prevent bunions from getting worse?

Proper-fitting footwear is key to preventing bunions or keeping an existing bunion from getting worse. Your healthcare provider can offer tips on how to select appropriate shoes. In general, you should buy shoes with a wide toe box and soft soles.

What is the procedure to get your big toe back?

Surgery: If nonsurgical treatments don’t help, and walking becomes extremely painful, your provider may recommend surgery. This procedure is called a bunionectomy. Your provider removes the bunion and realigns bones to bring the big toe back into the correct position.

How to diagnose a bunion?

Your healthcare provider can diagnose a bunion by looking at it. You may also get X-rays to check for joint damage and bone alignment.

How to prevent hallux valgus?

Through exercises that promote the free movement of the big toe in all directions, the emergence of hallux valgus can be effectively prevented. But very few conduct such preventive exercises from the adolescence on. If the bunion only occurred once, conservative therapies may only alleviate the symptoms: A provision of hallux valgus is then no longer possible.

How does a specialist diagnose hallux valgus?

Hallux valgus is typically even obvious to laymen. The orthopaedist usually recognises hallux valgus deformity upon looking at the foot . Hallux valgus is often accompanied by a visibly enlarged angle in the metatarsophalangeal joint. The hallux valgus patient’s description of problems confirms the physician’s suspicion.

How does hallux valgus develop?

Fig. 4: Splayfoot, and thus hallux valgus, is often caused by wearing shoes with high heels. High heels shift the entire body weight onto the forefoot, increasing pressure on the metatarsophalangeal joints. © Dr. Thomas Schneider

Who gets hallux valgus?

The rate of hallux valgus increases noticeably with age. However, some very young women and also men have hallux valgus: Then the cause for hallux valgus is not determined by overloading the feet but by genetics.

What is the protrusion of the metatarsophalangeal joint that causes it to push against the inner?

Exostosis is a protrusion of the metatarsophalangeal joint which causes it to push against the inner edge of the shoe. Splayfoot: Splayfoot is a drop in the front arch of the foot (transverse arch). Hallux valgus always develops due to splayfoot. Metatarsalgia:

Why does Hallux Valgus affect women?

This is why hallux valgus primarily affects women. With hallux valgus the big toe is constantly pushed toward the other toes. The attached muscles therefore develop an altered tension direction and pull the toe even further outward. High heels and the resulting additional weight which continues to spread it apart more and more encourages hallux valgus forming.

What is the name of the joint that bulges in the metatarsophalangeal joint?

With hallux valgus, the often painful and inflamed, swollen metatarsal head in the metatarsophalangeal joint commonly bulges, pushing against the shoe. In a hallux valgus deformity the big toe - almost always in conjunction with splayfoot - first deviates toward the outside edge of the foot.

What is a distal chevron osteotomy?

The distal chevron osteotomy is a V-shaped osteotomy of the first metatarsal, described by Corless, 76 Johnson and coworkers, 77 and Austin and Leventen. 78 The capital fragment is shifted laterally to narrow the forefoot. An anatomic study suggested that the capital fragment can be safely shifted laterally 6.0 mm in men and 5.0 mm in women, and still maintain greater than 50% bony apposition of the fragments. 79 The procedure has been performed with or without fixation of the shifted capital fragment. 80–85 The symmetric orientation of the distal chevron osteotomy 78 has undergone several modifications to accommodate fixation. 77,80 The combination of a medial closing wedge osteotomy of the first proximal phalanx (Akin) and a distal chevron osteotomy has been described when hallux valgus with metatarsus primus varus is associated with HVI. 86,87 The distal chevron osteotomy also has been combined with a lateral capsular or adductor tendon release, or both. 83,85,88–90

Can a PES planus cause Hallux Valgus?

Pes planus may lead to hallux valgus because of increased forefoot abduction that creates a nonphysiologic load on the plantarmedial aspect of the great toe during heel rise. The association between pes planus and hallux valgus is controversial. Although some authors suggest that patients with pes planus have a greater tendency to experience development of hallux valgus than patients with maintained arches, 16–23 others fail to support this association. 14,24–26 The combination of conflicting reports and consistently Level III-V evidence provide insufficient evidence (grade I) to prove or disprove an association between pes planus and hallux valgus.

Is hallux valgus congruent or symmetric?

Hallux valgus may exist with a congruent/symmetric relation between the first proximal phalanx and the first metatarsal head, suggesting a congenital predisposition in select patients with an increased distal metatarsal articular angle (DMAA). 46–48 Richardson and colleagues 49 note that the DMAA ranged from 6.3 to 18 degrees; as the angle increases, so does the propensity for hallux valgus, albeit congruent/symmetric. Coughlin 14 adds that the DMAA tends to be greater in patients with juvenile hallux valgus younger than 10 years when compared with those older than 10. Although Richardson and colleagues 49 suggest that the DMAA can be reliably determined radiographically, others have reported poor interobserver reliability. 50–52

Does a square MTP joint limit hallux valgus?

A “square” or flattened configuration of the MTP joint may resist valgus forces and limit development of hallux valgus; in contrast, a rounded, concentric relation of the MTP joint may predispose to hallux valgus if a valgus stress is consistently maintained on the hallux. To our knowledge, the contribution of metatarsal head configuration to the development of hallux valgus remains an observation; no evidence supports the association of metatarsal head configuration to hallux valgus.

Is hallux valgus a symptom?

Not all patients with hallux valgus are symptomatic. Besides an obvious cosmetic deformity, patients with symptomatic hallux valgus generally report pain exacerbated by shoe wear, particularly shoe wear with a narrow toe box. Frequently reported complaints include pain over the medial eminence and pain with first MTP joint motion. Pain may also be reported at the second MTP joint, under the second metatarsal head, and occasionally with impingement of the first toe on the second. In addition to identifying pain related to hallux valgus, the physician should determine limitations in shoe wear and activity level resulting from the deformity.

What Causes Hallux Valgus?

It's possible that a genetic mutation in foot shape could make some people predisposed to developing bunions.

How to treat a bunion in the foot?

Many shoe stores even have a stretching option to widen some types of shoes, giving the foot more room. Inserts, or 'bunion-pads' can be placed in the shoe to cushion the amount of rubbing the foot does on the side of the shoe. Over-the-counter pain relievers and lifestyle changes (not standing for long periods of time) may also help manage bunion symptoms like pain and inflammation. In some situations, a custom-made orthopedic device can be made and inserted into the shoe to help prevent the bunion from getting worse.

What is a bunion on the side of the foot?

What have we learned about hallux valgus (a bunion)? Well, we've learned that they are not fun! A bunion is an unnatural lump on the side of the foot next to the big toe or on the ball of the foot, and they indicate that the foot has anatomically changed shape.

How to stop bunion pain?

In some situations, a custom-made orthopedic device can be made and inserted into the shoe to help prevent the bunion from getting worse.

What are the symptoms of a bunion?

This intensifies when wearing ill-fitting footwear. In some cases, numbness, burning, or tingling may also occur around the bunion (obviously, these are not fun!). As the deformity worsens, walking can become difficult. As the shape of the foot changes, weight distribution also changes, and this can take some getting used to.

Can bunions be reversed?

Bunions form slowly over time and can't be reversed naturally, but wearing comfortable and properly fitting shoes can help stop the progression. Non-surgical treatments like shoe inserts, wider shoes, and over-the-counter pain relievers can help manage the symptoms, which include inflammation, skin redness, and pain.

Do bunions go away on their own?

Bunions won't go away on their own; as previously mentioned, their formation is gradually progressive. However, once one begins to form, lifestyle changes can be made to prevent the deformity from getting worse. Lesson Summary.

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