Bunionette: Causes, Diagnosis and Treatment

Bunionette or tailors bunion is characterized by the presence of a bony prominence on the outer side of the foot.

It is common in people who sit cross legged on the floor for long hours. Hence the name tailors bunion.

It is also seen in combination with hallux valgus in a splay foot.

Before reading on it would be good to first understand the relevant anatomy of the foot (skip this if you already done so).

Bony abnormalities seen in this condition include.

• a large head of the fifth metatarsal bone
• and lateral curvature of the shaft

Symptoms include

• presence of the obvious deformity on the outer aspect of the foot
• difficulty in sitting cross legged
• difficulty in wearing shoes
• callosity formation over the bony prominence
• adventitious bursitis over the prominence

Treatment can be surgical and non-surgical

Non-surgical treatment includes

• using a pad over the deformity
• wearing a shoe with a wide toe box
• anti-inflammatory medication
• steroid injection

If there is no relief from pain after a reasonable trial of non-surgical treatment then surgery is done.

In surgery

• part of the prominent head of 5th metatarsal is removed
• or the wrong alignment of the 5th metatarsal is corrected

Frequently Asked Questions

A wide toe box shoe provides relief in most patients. So the chances of you requiring surgery are slim if you modify your foot wear.

Will I be able to wear fancy shoes after operative treatment?

If your toes have a tendency to splay out then there is no guarantee that you will be able to wear narrow fancy shoes.

I hope the information provided was helpful. If you have any query you can ask me at the contact me page.

This page was last updated on 23th June 2009.

Other causes of foot pain...

Hallux Rigidus

Mallet Toe

Hammer Toe

Bunion

Flat Foot

Haglund-Deformity

Heel Pain

Sesamoid Fracture

Tarsal Tunnel Syndrome

Talus Fracture

Calcaneus Fracture

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