Why do bunions tend to occur in women?
First, there is a genetic predisposition to bunions. Mothers with bunions are significantly more likely to have children with bunions. In addition, women have weaker ligaments in their feet than men, which makes them more likely to develop bunions under the same genetic conditions. Moreover, the flexibility of the ligaments decreases with age, which is why bunions are more common in middle-aged and older women. As for bunions in young women, their occurrence is closely related to the shoes worn, which is, in fact, the main cause of all bunions. There is a process by which bunions develop, with chronic damage to the foot accumulating in youth and then gradually developing in middle and old age. Studies have found that women fishermen living in the rural southeast coast rarely wore shoes in the 1950s, when almost no one suffered from bunions. In recent decades, as their lives have improved, their offspring have started to wear shoes, often with high heels and pointed toes, and bunions have started to appear, and the incidence is gradually approaching that of urban areas. It can be said that this is a modern version of “foot-binding”. See the picture on the right: we can find that the pointed leather shoes wrap the forefoot tightly, leaving the toes in a pathological state, and in the long run, bunions will gradually appear. Normally, most of the body’s weight is borne by the heel when standing, but when wearing high heels the center of gravity shifts significantly forward, and the toes not only carry most of the weight, but because of the compression of the pointy shoes, the bunion bears the most weight. A tired bunion is obviously unable to bear this burden for long!
If you are already suffering from bunions, or your mother has bunions, that means you are at high risk of bunions, it is more important to give up high heels, more slippers, such as conditions, more barefoot walking on the sand, and consciously more toes grasping the sand on the ground, can exercise the muscles of the foot, enhance the balance of the foot, or a very good foot massage. On this basis, the use of some small orthopedic support for the foot can also play a certain role in relieving
Precautions before bunion surgery
1, bunion surgery before the foot can not be traumatic and infected, there should be tinea pedis foot ringworm cure. If you have high blood pressure, diabetes, etc., it should be controlled in the normal range. Try to be less active within a week after the surgery, and prohibit spicy and so on.
2, bunion surgery is local anesthesia, no pain during the operation. It takes only about half an hour to operate on one foot, and you can walk after surgery. There may be some pain the night after surgery, you can apply painkillers appropriately.
Postoperative care and rehabilitation guidance for bunion.
(1) 24h after surgery.
①Patients return to the room after surgery and elevate the affected limb 15-30 degrees with a soft pillow to promote blood circulation and reduce edema of the affected foot.
(2) Patients had different degrees of anxiety about the surgical effect and whether the function of the affected foot could be well recovered after the operation. In view of the patients’ psychological condition, they patiently communicated with them, so that they actively cooperated with the treatment and care, which promoted the patients’ early recovery.
③On the night of the postoperative period, most patients felt pain in the affected foot and had difficulty sleeping because the anesthetic effect had disappeared. Analgesics are generally given to relieve pain and create an environment conducive to sleep for patients to get a better rest.
(3) The nurse should closely observe the blood circulation at the toe end, that is, observe the color, temperature, sensation and swelling of the skin of the affected foot, and if there is any abnormality, immediately report to the doctor for timely treatment.
(2) 24h to 1 week after surgery: Except for the bunion, the remaining four toes, ankle and knee joints can be actively and passively moved 4 to 5 times a day for 2 to 3 min each time; note that the amount of activity should be gradually increased so as not to affect the stability of the broken end. Patients can go to the toilet with the help of family members, crutches or shaped devices, but be careful to avoid touching the bunion to prevent the dislocation of the broken end.
(3) 1 to 3 weeks after surgery.
(1) Patients can walk indoors with the removal of the shape-assist device and gradually increase the walking distance to no more than 50m. Heel weight should be applied when walking to protect the fracture end.
2) Instruct the patient to perform active and passive flexion and extension exercises of the interphalangeal joint of the bunion.
(3) Instruct the patient or family members to use the thumb, index finger and middle finger to move and press the bunion medially, so that it is mildly turned inward by 5-10° for 15 min each time, 9 times a day, 3 times each in the morning, midday and evening, with the aim of restoring the bunion to its normal position after wearing shoes.
(4) The stitches were removed 12d after the foot surgery.
(5) 3 to 5 weeks after surgery: 1) Patients can increase the walking distance, so that the next day the muscles feel slightly sore and swollen, and the edema of the surgical site does not increase. 2) Start active and passive exercises for the metatarsophalangeal joint, gradually increasing the amplitude of the exercises from small to large. For example, repeatedly pinch a piece of cloth placed on the ground with the toes 3 times a day.
(6) 5 to 6 weeks after surgery: 1) Remove the elastic bandage soft bandage and walk normally in your own loose, soft shoes. 2) Continue functional exercises of the metatarsophalangeal joint.
(7) 3 months after surgery: Patients can resume sports activities and heavy physical work.
(8) 3 to 6 months after surgery: loose shoes should be worn to prevent recurrence.
Bunion discharge rehabilitation instruction.
1.Elevate the affected limb above the heart level to promote reflux and reduce swelling.
2.Early functional exercise in bed, the plantar lateral and posterior side of the foot should be made weight-bearing when walking.
3.After local use of waterproof measures such as plastic bags, bathing is allowed.
4.You can take care of yourself after the operation, and increase the activities after two weeks, and normal activities after one month.
5.Wear loose flat shoes for three to six months, and normal shoes after six months.
6.Plaster fixation for six weeks.
(1) The affected limb needs to be elevated above the level of the heart to reduce pain.
(2) Prevent contamination of the plaster, which will be deformed by water.
(3) Pay attention to the condition of the skin of the extremity, and seek medical attention promptly in case of pain, numbness and loss of sensation in the extremity.
(4) Strengthen the resting muscle contraction movement inside the cast to promote blood circulation and avoid muscle atrophy.
(5) Strengthen the activities of the joints outside the cast to prevent joint stiffness.
(7) Wearing appropriate shoes can prevent the occurrence and development of bunion.
(8) Mild bunion can be sandwiched between the 1st and 2nd toe with cotton pads to change the shoe wearing habit.
9.Follow up at the outpatient clinic six weeks after surgery.