Bunions and Shoes in Children

Bunions are not common in children but they can be a problem if the shoes are not fitted properly. Shoes are not necessarily the cause of bunions as hereditary factors play a big role and a few of those who do not wear shoes still get them, but shoes are certainly important in their development. For this reason it is so important to get the shoes and their fitting right.

Typical appearance of a bunion on the left foot in a child.

Any shoe that is too tight in the forefoot is going to increase the risk of developing a bunion. As children grow, the fitting of the shoes need to be checked on a very regular basis.

If a child does appear to have a bunion (or technically a hallux valgus or hallux abducto valgus) then there are some things that can be done to help as well as getting the shoes right.

Bunion correctors are a splint that can be worn as night to help and try to correct the angle of the toe. One study has shown that these splints do help correct bunions in adolescents and will go a long way to keep the joint mobile and prevent or delay the need for surgery. They are certainly worth a try.

There are some exercises that can be done for bunions that may help. Exercises are more likely to be help in children than adults. They are important to help keep the joint mobile and flexible which is important to prevent any damage such as osteoarthritis over the long term.

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