Bunions really are a very common condition of the feet. They are largely due to the shoes that happen to be too tight pressing the big toe over and causing the metatarsophalangeal joint at the bottom of the big toe to become enlarged. That's what a bunion is. The continuing strain from the shoe may become quite painful and osteoarthritis can develop within the joint. They are more prevalent in females, most likely because they're more likely to wear more tightly fitting high heel shoes. The only way to get rid of bunions will be to have surgery. As we walk on our feet and that big toe or hallux is a crucial joint, surgery on that joint is associated with a time of at least a couple of months of impairment after the surgery. Because of this, many people want to avoid the surgical solution when they can.

There are actually no conservative alternatives to make them go away. However, there are several non-surgical options that can stop them being painful, however they are not able to make them go away. There are the bunion correctors that are braces that you put on at night which are suggested to correct the angle of the toe. These bunion correctors do keep your big toe mobile and flexible which is a positive thing, however they usually do not make anymore than a couple of degrees difference to the angle of the big toe. Exercises to maintain the joint mobile and flexible are often helpful with some of the pain that can develop within the joint. When there is pain on the big toe joint from strain from the shoe, then it's crucial that the footwear be broad enough and fitted appropriately. Various pads could be used to keep force off the enlarged metatarsophalangeal joint. These types of non-surgical alternatives will not make bunions disappear, however they will go along way to helping any pain that they can have from the bunions.