Tailor's Bunion

Consider treatment for a tailor’s bunion if your little toe begins to curl under or over your other toes. At Mid-South Foot & Ankle Specialists, with offices in Atoka, Cordova, and East Memphis, Tennessee, the highly skilled podiatrists offer various treatments to manage tailor’s bunions and prevent them from worsening. Call the nearest office to learn more about the treatment options today, or book online.

What is a tailor’s bunion?

A tailor’s bunion occurs because of a misalignment of the bones in your little toe. Routine activities, like walking and exercising, cause the joint where your little toe meets your foot to bulge outward. That causes your little toe to curl under or over your other toes, resulting in pain and mobility problems.

What causes a tailor’s bunion?

Tailor’s bunions form when the bones in your little toe change position. These changes occur for various reasons, including:

• Wearing narrow shoes, like high heels
• Regularly sitting cross-legged on one foot
• Hereditary conditions that affect your bone structure
• An abnormal gait (an unusual walking pattern)
• Loose ligaments
• Tight calf muscles

You’re also more likely to develop a tailor’s bunion if you have a chronic inflammatory condition, like arthritis.

When should I see a podiatrist about a tailor’s bunion?

Make an appointment at Mid-South Foot & Ankle Specialists if you notice one or both of your little toes changing position. That’s especially true if you have difficulty walking or have chronic toe pain that doesn’t improve with at-home treatments.

How is a tailor’s bunion diagnosed?

To diagnose a tailor’s bunion, your Mid-South Foot & Ankle Specialists provider reviews your medical charts and asks about your symptoms, including when you first noticed your little toe changing position and if the pain extends into your forefoot.

Next, your provider examines your little toe and forefoot, checking for redness, swelling, or a visible deformity. Most tailor’s bunions are visible, but your provider might also order a series of X-rays to assess the alignment of the other bones in your forefoot.

How is a tailor’s bunion treated?

At Mid-South Foot & Ankle Specialists, the providers typically treat tailor’s bunions with nonsurgical therapies. Depending on the size of your bunion, they might recommend:

• Wearing shoes with a wide toe box
• Wearing bunion pads to alleviate the pain
• Taking over-the-counter pain medication
• Icing the bunion several times a day
• Corticosteroid injections
• Custom orthotics

If your pain continues even with conservative treatments, surgery might be necessary. During surgery for a tailor’s bunion, your provider uses surgical tools to realign the bones at the front of your foot.

Call the nearest Mid-South Foot & Ankle Specialists office today to explore the treatment options for a tailor’s bunion, or book online.