Juvenile Bunions
At Brook Valley Podiatry, Dr. Stuart Birnbaum and his staff provide exceptional foot care services for patients of all ages in the Rockland County communities, from children to older adults. This includes treatment for bunions affecting adolescents.
What is a Bunion?
As we look at the causes and treatment options for juvenile bunions, the best starting point is to look at the ailment itself. Whether a bunion develops for an adult or a child, the condition begins with an imbalance in the metatarsophalangeal (MTP) joint found at the base of the big toe.
Imbalances within the MTP joint can create a situation where the first metatarsal (long, thin bone running the length of the mid- and forefoot) begins to angle outwards (towards the inside of the foot), while the phalange (toe bone) starts drifting in towards the other toes. In turn, this leads to the MTP joint jutting out along the inside edge of the foot.
Bunion Causes and Symptoms
The main reason behind a bunion is an imbalance, but more specifically, foot injuries, inherited foot types, and congenital deformities—those present at birth—are the main culprits. In some patients, the root cause of a bunion was arthritis, but this is not often the case for juvenile bunions.
The most likely explanation for a juvenile bunion is
There are a couple of bunion symptoms, but the most obvious is simply the
Treating Juvenile Bunions
Treatment for an adolescent’s bunion has some commonalities with those we might use for an adult patient. In both cases, our hope is to relieve symptoms and slow (or stop) the progression of the deformity with the use of conservative methods. These include footwear modifications or choices, orthotic devices, night splints, and even exercises to strengthen supporting muscles and improve the joint’s mobility.
When conservative treatment does not provide the desired results, it might be time to consider a surgical procedure. With that said, surgical correction is not recommended until the foot bones have reached physical maturity.
It is important to bring your son or daughter in to see us at the earliest opportunity after noticing the development of a juvenile bunion. The condition is progressive, which means it will worsen over time when left untreated. Given the (hopefully) long life ahead of a child, there is more time available for the
Professional Bunion Care in Spring Valley, NY
Dr. Birnbaum and his staff treat a wide array of foot and ankle conditions for patients young and old here at Brook Valley Podiatry. If your son or daughter has developed a juvenile