Bunion Surgery

Knoxville’s Best Choice for Bunion Surgery in Eastern Tennessee

Painful lump at the base of your big toe that rubs against your shoes? You may have a bunion. Bunions are especially common in women, but anyone can develop bunions – even young people. Tennessee Orthopaedic Clinics offers bunion treatments including bunion surgery to help you walk without pain so you can enjoy all the fun and adventure that East Tennessee has to offer.

What are bunions?

Bunions are bony bumps at the base of your big toe, where the toe attaches to the foot. Bunions occur when the bones in the front of the foot move out of place, causing the big toe to tilt inward toward the other toes and the joint at the bottom of the big toe to protrude outward.

What causes bunions?

Wearing narrow shoes or footwear that is too tight is a common cause of bunions. This is likely why bunions are more common in women than in men. Some people, especially people with flat feet, are more likely to develop bunions because of the natural shape of their feet. Inflammatory diseases such as arthritis and rheumatoid arthritis may also contribute to the development of bunions.

Symptoms of bunions

The most obvious symptom of a bunion is the telltale bulge on the outside of the joint where the big toe connects to the foot. Other symptoms of bunions include:

• Swelling and redness at the base of the big toe
• Soreness at the base of the big toe
• Callouses where the big toe and the second toe rub together
• Pain in the big toe
• Limited movement in the big toe
• Difficulty finding shoes that fit because of the bunion

Non-surgical treatments for bunions

When patients come to Tennessee Orthopaedic Clinics with bunions, we nearly always suggest trying non-invasive bunion treatments first. Some of the non-invasive treatments for bunions we recommend include:

• Choosing better shoes – Comfortable, supportive shoes with a wide toe box allow space for the toes to move normally.
• Bunion pads – Over-the-counter bunion pads from a drugstore can provide a cushion between your bunions and your shoes, receiving pain.
• Cortisone injections – Cortisone injections can relieve the inflammation in your toe joint and relieve pain.
• Shoe inserts – Providing adequate support and cushioning for the feet can help prevent and relieve bunions.

Bunions surgery

If non-invasive bunion treatments don’t do enough to relieve your pain, bunions surgery may be the right choice. Depending on your unique anatomy, your Tennessee Orthopaedic Clinics’ surgeon may choose some or all of the following surgical treatments for bunions. Some of these treatments can have you back on your feet pain-free rather quickly, but depending on the severity of your bunions and the surgical procedure, recovery may take longer.

• Removing damaged tissue around the joint of the big toe
• Removing part of the bone to straighten the big toe
• Realigning the bones in your forefoot to straighten out your big toe
• Fusing the bones of the toe joint together to keep them in the correct position

Visit a Knoxville Foot Surgeon near you

Tennessee Orthopaedic Clinics offers orthopedic foot and ankle care at its many locations in and around Knoxville, so you’re never far from the expert orthopedic foot care you need. Wherever you are in East Tennessee, you’re always close to an orthopedic ankle specialist that can help you “get back on your feet” and back to the physical activities you love.

Our team of orthopedic foot surgeons are board-certified experts with expansive experience in their field. They’ve helped countless patients in Knoxville, Crossville, Oak Ridge, Sevierville and Lenoir City walk with confidence, not pain. If you’re struggling with ongoing foot pain or lack of mobility as a result of arthritis, illness, or injury, our orthopedic foot surgeons can get you on the path to feeling like yourself again.