Medically known as Hallux Abducto Valgus (HAV), the term ‘bunion’ describes a bony bulge that can develop over time on the inside of the big toe. The bulge is caused by a malaligned position of the big toe joint where the long bone (metatarsal) moves out towards the other foot and the connecting toe (phalanx) bends in on it, toward the other toes. Bunions tend to progressively worsen in ‘stages’ and become more prominent. As they do, the ligaments and tissues surrounding the joint stretch and contract accordingly, ultimately leaving the joint in a fixed position. Bony and arthritic changes can also occur within the joint. This means that bunions have different characteristics at different stages and the right management needs to be decided on a case-by-case basis.
Causes of bunions are numerous and vary greatly. Anything that squeezes or puts greater pressure and force through the big toe joint, like pointed shoes, may be a potential contributing factor. Often bunions can run in the family, are more prevalent in women than men, and are thought to be linked with an unstable function at the big toe joint. Other contributing factors include:
The biggest sign is the change in appearance (protrusion) of the big toe joint. You may also experience:
As the bunion progressively worsens, the big toe may push into the lesser toes. Over time, the toes may begin to overlap.
As bunions progressively worsen over time, starting treatment early is the key! If you’ve started noticing your bunion developing either recently or within the last couple of years, now is the best time to take action.We start by identifying the extent of the changes in the big toe joint. A treatment plan can then be implemented to reduce symptoms and limit future progression. Biomechanical and alignment issues will be identified. Periodic evaluation and x-rays may be advised or in some cases observation of the bunion is sufficient. Depending on the characteristics of your bunion, you may benefit from some of the following:
As bunions are often associated with other foot problems, treatment will also address any underlying issues that are identified. If the symptoms or the deformation is not reducible, surgery may be indicated.
An ingrown toenail develops when a small piece of the nail, or nail spicule, pierces the surrounding skin and begins to grow into the skin, instead of growing out independently alongside the skin. It doesn’t take a big piece of nail to cause you tremendous pain and irritation – think of it like a sharp […]
Recently, we shared all about the big range of problems that our podiatry team here at Perform Podiatry can help you with. From in-toeing to foot drop, to managing falls risk and instability on your feet, we’re trained to help you with it all – you can read all about it here. Today, we thought […]
The beauty of summer is that it allows us to get some relief from our ingrown toenails by wearing open-toed sandals and walk around with bare feet, which can also delay the onset of painful symptoms in the first place. In winter and the chilly NZ spring-time? Not so much. Our ingrown toenails can become […]
Having your nails and the skin on your feet taken care of feels great. What feels even better is walking away feeling confident that your foot care has performed safely, under strict hygiene and sterilisation protocols, and by registered podiatrists that have dedicated their careers to learning everything there is to know about your feet […]
When you have diabetes, your risk of foot problems increases significantly. This is because the effects of diabetes on your nerves and blood vessels damages two critical processes when it comes to the feet and legs: Your sensation – the ability to feel what’s happening to and around your feet Your circulation – the blood […]
Having a fall, whether it’s in our own home or when we’re out and about, can change our lives entirely. The injury we sustain from a fall can affect our ability to not only walk and move but stay independent – it might mean we have to stop living independently within our home and instead […]
So you – or your family member – has an ingrown toenail. And you’ve read conflicting information online that’s left you wondering whether you should be soaking your foot in salty water or having the whole nail removed completed. We get it – it can be confusing. So today, we thought we’d give you the […]
Foot drop is the term given when weakness in one or both feet makes you unable to point your toes up towards the sky, otherwise known as dorsiflexing the foot. When this happens, your foot remains in a dropped position when you walk, with your foot pointing downwards. This makes it difficult for your foot […]
We have the privilege of treating foot and leg injuries day in and day out. It’s very easy to pick up on patterns – like the shoes you wear into the clinic giving us the first hint of what your pain or injury may be, or your walking style giving away some biomechanical problems that […]
Partial Nail Avulsion A partial nail avulsion (PNA) provides a professional, safe and effective solution to the problem of frustrating and painful ingrown toenails. This is one of the most common procedures carried out in our clinic. The procedure removes the small part of the toenail edge that is growing downwards/inwards, piercing the skin and […]
Total Nail Avulsion A total nail avulsion (TNA) procedure involves the safe removal of the entire toenail. This procedure is indicated in a variety of circumstances, such as cases of ingrown toenails where both sides recurrently ingrow and there is a large curvature at the sides of the nail. Here, instead of removing two larger sides of the painful […]
Ever wish you knew someone that has gone through the same procedure as you so you knew what to expect? We absolutely get it – and while ingrown toenail surgeries are common enough these days that you’ll likely know someone that has had it done – it’s also not the type of thing that many […]
Here at Perform Podiatry, we treat a lot of foot and leg pain. It’s our speciality! And while orthotics are a very important component of the treatment plan, there are other components too – namely stretching and strengthening, as well as having the right footwear during your recovery. Because we’ve recently seen a few patients […]
The position of your children’s feet will determine will either keep them free to run and play, or can have them tripping, falling and in pain. A common foot position in children that can stop them from reaching their full potential is in-toeing. So why does in-toeing develop and what can you do about it? […]
Osteoarthritis (OA) is painful, frustrating and limiting for many New Zealanders. OA affects almost 50% of those aged over 60 years, and almost all over 80 years old. This makes it very important to both manage the symptoms effectively when they arise – as well as reduce the rate that it develops too! While the […]
For those that haven’t had orthotics before or vaguely remember them from earlier years, a lot of questions or misconceptions may exist. Orthotics are far from the big, bulky devices that they may have once been. In fact, they become unnoticeable for regular wearers and more than that – a true lifesaver providing much-needed relief […]
Do we trim toenails? Do we correct your foot posture using orthotics? Do we remove your corns? Do we help correct bunions? The answer is a big yes to all of the above – and a whole world more. Every once in a while, we’re reminded that for those that have never been to a […]
If you’ve recently had an ingrown toenail surgery and are wondering how to optimise your recovery, here are some quick tips that we let our patients know about after their procedures. Immediately after your procedure Take the rest of your day off from work, school and any physical activity commitments. You want to kickstart the […]
Orthotics are one of the most common treatment methods we use with foot pain and injury, due to the fantastic results we can achieve with them. If you’re not very familiar with orthotics, you may wonder how orthotics can help with so many problems – and how they work. Today, we’re talking about a very […]
If you’ve recently had an ingrown toenail surgery and are wondering how to optimise your recovery, here are some quick tips that we let our patients know about after their procedures. Immediately after your procedure Take the rest of your day off from work, school and any physical activity commitments. You want to kickstart the […]
It’s not a myth. Pregnancy really can and does make women go up in shoe size, and unfortunately, for some women, their feet stay bigger too. This phenomenon can be confusing, after all, why can your foot size increase when you’re pregnant but not when you put on weight? Today, we’re sharing exactly why. A […]
We know it’s often referred to as ingrown toenail surgery, but honestly – that makes it sound so serious and scary! The truth is that these are very simple and straightforward procedures. They are done in your regular appointment chair. They are done under local anaesthetic, so it’s painless. The total ‘treatment’ time is normally […]
The position of your children’s feet can either keep them free to run and play, or encourage them to trip, fall and result in pain. In-toeing affects many kids as they learn to walk confidently. At a young age, in-toeing may not be an issue – as long as it doesn’t cause other problems and […]
CONSERVATIVE NAIL CARE Simple and easy Safe and sterile Immediate relief Complete in 5-15 minutes Anaesthetic available if required Conservative management for ingrown toenails is an effective option for simple ingrown (or involuted) toenails that have become problematic for the first time. The pain is alleviated by using simple and sterile podiatric tools to […]
“And what is the problem that your daughter is having with her feet?” “She’s walking funny. I don’t know if it’s normal – it doesn’t seem quite right” That right there is a conversation that our receptionist has on the phone many times a week. Parents notice that something isn’t *quite* right with the way […]
School holidays are here and that means one thing: frantically finding activities that ditch the screen time and embrace the outdoors! We’re parents too, and we (like many others) are seeking (physical) activities that will also ensure the kids will have a good, long sleep. We found a good bunch for our kids here in […]
Ingrown toenails are painful and frustrating enough, so the last thing you want is to add an infection to the mix. Unfortunately, in our experience, a large number of ingrown toenails will get infected if proper treatment is undertaken – and it makes sense when you think about it. Today, our ingrown toenail specialists will […]
Ingrown toenails are painful and frustrating enough, so the last thing you want is to add an infection to the mix. Unfortunately, in our experience, a large number of ingrown toenails will get infected if proper treatment is undertaken – and it makes sense when you think about it. Today, our ingrown toenail specialists will […]
We’ve all heard how most of us have one foot that is slightly longer than the other. It may be an unnoticeable difference, or it may be half a shoe size – or more. Well, the same goes for the length of our legs! Whether it’s our femur (thigh bone), our tibia (shin bone), or […]
Orthotics can be fantastic devices. Like glasses that help us see and perform our best each day, orthotics work to alter the way our feet, muscles and bones move with the goal of optimising our overall function and reducing pain, excess pressure and unnecessary fatigue. Unlike glasses, however, that do not come into direct contact […]
Kids are constantly surprising us as they grow. They learn quickly, are constantly developing, growing and getting stronger – and not to mention wiser! But how do we know what is and isn’t normal when it comes to their feet and legs? This is a question we get asked a lot here at Perform Podiatry. […]
Shoes are one of the most common causes of ingrown toenails. Specifically – tight, narrow and ill-fitting shoes are a common cause for ingrown toenails. While we have the power to choose the shoes we’re wearing daily and buy new ones when needed – it’s a bit harder for our kids! Their feet are always […]
Heel pain sucks – and we hear this expressed with much pain and frustration daily from our patients. When your ability to walk is affected, it impacts your whole day and freedom to not just do the things you enjoy, but generally complete simple everyday tasks. Treating and relieving heel pain effectively starts with identifying […]
Happy, healthy families is what we’re all about. This means we make looking after KIDS FEET a special priority! Kids are constantly learning, growing and exploring – it’s all part of the development process. At times, pain can develop and it is our body’s way of saying that something isn’t quite right. By addressing this, […]
… Aaaand that’s a wrap for 2018! We’ve had a fantastic year and helped hundreds of patients with their ingrown toenails this year. So we thought we’d finish up by sharing the top FIVE questions, and comments, that we received when treating ingrown toenails this year. Here we go! 1. “I’ve been really careful when […]
If you suffer from cracked heels, then you’ll definitely know about it. Your heels feel rough and the breaks in the skin can catch on your socks and carpet. When you walk barefooted, the cracks can trap dirt. As the hard skin is left unmanaged and continues to build, the healthy skin at the base […]
It’s that time again! While it feels like the Christmas decorations have already been in full swing for months in our local Westfield centres, it’s finally December and Christmas is almost upon us! If you work in retail, this means your hours may be ramped up massively – and you’ll be left facing the painful […]
If you aren’t already aware: tight, narrow and poorly-fitting footwear is a major cause of ingrown toenails for young and old alike. Other major causes include: Improper nail cutting technique (curving the sides of the nail or ‘picking’ the nails off instead of cutting them Genetic predisposition (the shape of the toenail or the thickness […]
This article is for you if you have: Pain at the ball of your foot (forefoot) Have been wondering if orthotics could help decrease your pain or improve your comfort Have orthotics but unsure how they are working (and if something could be done to make them even more effective!) Orthotics have the ability to […]
If you’ve been getting pains, aches, or the feeling that you’re constantly walking on a stone, then capsulitis could be the culprit. Capsulitis is a common condition we often see in those that spend a lot of time on the ball of their foot (like when bending down on one knee for work, doing a […]
If the phrase “Mum, my toe hurts” is one that you’ve heard a few too many times now, then this is for you. Today we’re talking ingrown toenails and kids! As many kids tell us when they come into the clinic, having an ingrown toenail “sucks”. It’s red, painful, swollen, it can have pus (exudate) […]
Having discoloured, brittle toenails showing through in your sandals is not on anyone’s wishlist this summer. Because of the relatively easy way that they spread from one person to another, fungal nail infections have become a relatively common problem we see here at Perform Podiatry. But what may surprise you is that approximately 50% of […]
The time has arrived that our kids have been waiting for… It’s the school holidays! As experts in kids health and keeping them happy and active (as well as parents ourselves), we’ve hunted around and found 5 more active school holiday activities here in Auckland to keep boredom at bay and energy levels being well […]
Oh, dads. They’re fantastic. They’ve put up with us through our childhood and teenage years (and as parents raising small children, we appreciate this so much more!). They’ve worked hard for us and our families. They’ve finished the food off our plates when we couldn’t (or wouldn’t). They’ve told many a dad joke and embarrassed […]
Corns and callus are a big problem for many of our patients here at Perform Podiatry. Unfortunately, they’re often a problem that goes untreated for far too long and causes much unnecessary pain, that can otherwise be relieved instantly – in just a single appointment! We were inspired to write this by two patients that […]
Diabetes is a condition that affects a LOT of us New Zealanders. Five years ago, it was estimated that it affected around 300,000 of us (both diagnosed and undiagnosed), and undoubtedly this figure has continued to grow since then. When most people think diabetes, they think of blood sugar levels. But what does this have […]
There’s nothing worse than feeling pain shoot up your foot with every step you take – especially if you’re like us and don’t have time to stop or slow down! Our lives are busier than ever and this calls for pains like these that interfere with our everyday lives to be treated quickly and effectively. […]
Heel pain is frustrating – and that’s the mildest description of it that we hear from our patients on a regular basis. Heel pain, and foot pain generally, is one of those painful problems where you suddenly realise how much you’ve taken walking around pain-free for granted for your entire life. And it’s true – […]
If you’ve got pain or injury at your: Heel Midfoot Forefoot Arch Ankle Shins Knees Then orthotics can be a fantastic component of your treatment. The efficacy and function of your orthotics, however, can be influenced by your footwear – especially if they’re one of those ‘I know I probably shouldn’t be wearing these’ pair. […]
We have the pleasure of seeing and treating a lot of ingrown toenails. That’s not sarcastic at all – successfully treating ingrown toenails provides an immense amount of relief to suffering patients and using our skills to do this successfully is something we’re very proud of. There’s a common theme to many of the first […]
We have the pleasure of seeing and treating a lot of ingrown toenails. That’s not sarcastic at all – successfully treating ingrown toenails provides an immense amount of relief to suffering patients and using our skills to do this successfully is something we’re very proud of. There’s a common theme to many of the first […]
Keeping your family on their feet and helping them to walk, run, play and exceed their goals is why we love getting up in the morning.
Ground Floor, One Health Building
122 Remuera Rd, Remuera
Auckland 1050, New Zealand
| MON - FRI | 7:30am – 6:30pm |
| SAT | 8:30am – 4:30pm |
| SUN | Some availability |
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