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Bunions

How do doctors diagnose bunions?

If your doctor thinks you may have a bunion, he or she will examine your feet and ask you some questions. And your doctor may suggest an X-ray to see the bones inside your feet.

Bunions usually get worse if you don't treat them. That's why it's important to get a diagnosis. See your doctor if you notice any of these symptoms.

You have a bump on your big toe joint that hurts.
You have trouble walking.
Your big toe or foot isn't moving as it should.
You have a hard time finding shoes that fit because of the bump.

Doctors can usually diagnose a bunion just by looking at it.

Source:
Mann RA, Coughlin MJ.
Adult hallux valgus.
In: Surgery of the foot and ankle, volume 1. 7th edition. Mosby, St Louis, U.S.A.; 1999.

¹ Your doctor will check to see if your big toe joint is red or swollen. And he or she will ask you to move your big toe up and down to see if it's stiff.

Your doctor will also ask you questions, such as:

Does your toe or foot hurt?
When did your foot problem start?
What type of shoes do you wear?
Does anyone in your family have bunions?
Have you ever injured your foot?
Do any of your other joints hurt?

This helps doctors work out if you have any of the things that make you more likely to get bunions. Your doctor will check the shape of your foot and how you walk too. These things can also affect your chances of bunions. For more, see Risk factors for bunions.

You may have an

X-ray
X-rays are pictures taken of the inside of your body. They are done by passing very small amounts of radiation through your body and onto film. X-rays can also be used as a treatment, such as in radiation therapy for cancer.

X-ray of your big toe joint so that your doctor can see how far your toe has moved.

Source:
LaPorta G, Melillo T, Olinsky D.
X-ray evaluation of hallux abducto valgus deformity.
Journal of the American Podiatric Medical Association. 1974; 64: 544-566.

² You stand up while this X-ray is taken. It shows the angles between the bones in your feet.

The angle between your big toe and the main long bone of your foot is called the hallux abductus angle. If this angle is more than 15 degrees, it's a sign of bunions.
The angle between your main foot bone and the foot bone next to it is called the intermetatarsal angle. If this angle is more than nine degrees, it is also a sign of bunions.

The X-ray can help your doctor tell if treatment can make your toe straighter and get rid of the bony bump.

A bunion changes the angles between the bones in your feet.

It can also help you and your doctor decide which type of bunion operation might work best.

And your X-ray can show if you have another type of joint problem, such as

arthritis
Arthritis is when your joints become inflamed, making them stiff and painful. There are different kinds of arthritis. Osteoarthritis is the most common type. It happens when the cartilage at the end of your bones becomes damaged and then starts to grow abnormally. Rheumatoid arthritis happens because your immune system attacks the lining of your joints.

arthritis.

Different sorts of health professionals are trained to diagnose and treat bunions. Your primary care doctor may refer you to one of these:

A medical doctor who specializes in joint problems and does operations. This person is called an orthopedic surgeon.
A health professional who is specially trained in caring for feet. This person is called a podiatrist (or sometimes a chiropodist). Podiatrists are not medical doctors. But they do have special training in foot and ankle problems, including bunions. Podiatrists can order tests and X-rays, and may be able to recommend treatments, such as insoles for your shoes. And some podiatrists can do bunion operations.

Sources for the information on this page:

Mann RA, Coughlin MJ.Adult hallux valgus.In: Surgery of the foot and ankle, volume 1. 7th edition. Mosby, St Louis, U.S.A.; 1999.

LaPorta G, Melillo T, Olinsky D.X-ray evaluation of hallux abducto valgus deformity.Journal of the American Podiatric Medical Association. 1974; 64: 544-566.

This information was last updated on Apr 09, 2009

This information is for educational use only, and is not a substitute for prompt professional medical advice. Readers should always consult a physician or other professional for advice and treatment.
© BMJ Publishing Group Limited 2009. All rights reserved.

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