Dr. Brian Nagy | August 25th, 2017
Are you a runner who’s suffering from bunions? Whether you’re an elite runner or just training for a specific race or two, you know the benefits that running offers. It can be a great way to get the exercise you need, keep you connected to friends who also run, improve your cardiovascular health, and make you feel well. However, not every run is going to feel good. Running with bunions or other foot problems can cause foot pain, derail your training, and become serious problems that require medical attention.
A bunion is a bony bump on your big toe that can be red, swollen, and painful. With a bunion, your big toe looks deformed and may even start to cross over your smaller toes. Technically, a bunion is an enlargement of the joint at the base of your big toe that forms when your big toe moves out of its regular position. Bunions are caused by ill-fitting shoes, heredity, and certain foot conditions or injuries. Running can contribute to the formation of bunions, and running with bunions can make them worse and be the source of a lot of pain in your foot.
Bunions can be exacerbated by your running even if they don’t seem to be causing you much trouble. Running with bunions can cause toe pain, foot pain, swelling, restricted movement, and worse. Complications due to untreated bunions include bursitis, hammertoe, and pain in the ball of your foot known as metatarsalgia. If you are a runner with bunions, you should take extra caution when you hit the trail or sign up for another race.
Depending on the severity of your bunion, you might simply need better shoes. Then again, you might need surgery. See your podiatrist for a proper diagnosis and a clear understanding of what all your options are. In the meantime, there are some steps you can take to ease bunion pain while you run.
The professional and friendly staff at Nagy Footcare can determine whether bunions are causing your pain. We believe you deserve to have the best available treatments delivered by a qualified, compassionate podiatrist. Contact us today and let us help you.
At Nagy Footcare, our best day is when you wake up with no foot pain.
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