Tailor’s Bunions

September 28, 2017 • • foot conditionstoe conditions

You may know about bunions – a big toe joint deformity that causes the big toe joint to jut out. However, you may not have known about its relative, the tailor’s bunion, which is also called a bunionette. While not as common as bunions, tailor’s bunions have similar causes and symptoms, with the exception of location on the feet.

Tailor’s bunions are pinky toe joint deformities where the bump forms on the outside of the foot, rather than on the inside. Like with regular bunions, the bump is typically either a developmental deformity or a bony growth (bone spur) protruding from the little toe joint. It can be a hereditary trait, or a result of external pressure or injury. Most of the time, it comes down to wearing shoes that are too narrow, which aggravates the joint and causes a spur to develop.

Treating a Tailor’s Bunion

Treatment of a tailor’s bunion is no different from treating a regular bunion. Our podiatrist may recommend the following non-invasive treatments:

Home treatment:

  • Icing – If your symptoms are mild, start with applying a bag of ice or cold compress on the affected area for 15 minutes at a time. This will help with initial swelling and redness.
  • Padding – If you seem to feel pain and swelling more often with certain shoes, you can use bunion pads to cushion the protrusions from further friction or pressure.
  • Changing your shoes – As the bunion or bunionette progresses and becomes bigger, you may need to buy new shoes that have a roomier toe box so that there is no external pressure from the shoes. In fact, with larger deformities, you may need to buy roomier shoes because your feet may no longer fit in your previous size.
  • NSAIDs – For pain and inflammation, you may need to take non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs to reduce symptoms. Follow instructions on the label.

Podiatrist treatment:

  • Custom Orthotics and shoes: When changing your shoes to a wider structure or size does not work, you may need custom orthotic inserts and/or prescription shoes made to fit your feet. Our podiatrists can help with getting these made to order.
  • Corticosteroid injections: When NSAIDs and icing do not provide adequate pain relief or reduction of inflammation, podiatrist-provided injection therapy may do the trick.

If these non-invasive treatments do not provide relief, or if the problem gets worse, our podiatrists may suggest surgical correction of the deformity by resetting the bones or removing the bony growth. Our foot doctors will be able to determine the best solution for you, depending on your situation. Make an appointment today at Alamitos-Seal Beach Podiatry Group for a thorough assessment. One of our board-certified podiatrists, Dr. Douglas H. Richie, Dr. Jeremy L. Cook, and Dr. Faye E. Izadi will be happy to find the solution for your feet at either of our Orange County offices in Seal Beach, CA or Los Alamitos, CA.

Request an Appointment

Fill out the form below to reach Alamitos – Seal Beach Podiatry Group, or call Los Alamitos: (562) 203-6151 or Seal Beach: (562) 242-1559 for immediate assistance.











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