What Our Customers Are Saying

“Many of the people I see in the office have foot problems as a result of ill-fittying footwear and have specialized shoe wear needs. I have found the staff at Mast Shoes to be knowledgeable, friendly, helpful, professional, and indispensable in providing expert service to these customers, as well as those who just need some comfortable, fashionable shoes. In fact, that’s where I go for my shoes! Their exemplary service and shoe selection greatly benefit our community.”
-James Holmes, M.D. Orthopedic Surgeon

Bunions

A bunion is a deformity that occurs in the joint between the big toe and the foot (1st MTP joint). The joint thickens and enlarges causing a bony prominence on the inside of the 1st MPT joint. The big toe tends to angle toward the smaller toes sometimes coming to rest on top of or underneath the 2nd and 3rd toes. Bunions are sometimes painful and are caused by long term irritation from arthritis, poorly fitting shoes (short, tight or sharply pointed) and heredity. Painful bunions often cause people to walk improperly.

Treatments include wider fitting shoes, no high heels, custom orthoses, ice, and bunion night splints and stretching.

Stretches that help keep the joint mobile:

Hold the big toe with one hand and move in all directions. Hold the position at the end of the range of motion for at least 10 seconds. Repeat several times in all directions.
Find a strong elastic band and loop it around both big toes. Spread your feet apart so that the toes straighten out (as much as possible). Hold the straight position for a few minutes, rest and repeat.

Preventing bunions:

Bunions are often preventable by wearing shoes that fit properly. The toe box of the shoe should be wide enough for the toes not to be forced together. The tops of the four smaller toes, when resting in the shoe should be about level with each other. A good way of checking this is to reach down (while standing up) and make sure that the widest part of the foot is lined up with the widest part of the shoe.