Bunion Treatment & Pain Relief In Singapore

According to our own podiatrist Dr Mark Reyneker, bunions are an inherited disorder and are not solely caused by ill-fitting shoes. Almost 90 per cent of bunion sufferers have at least one family member who also suffers from a bunion deformity. That said, the incorrect shoe can aggravate a pre-existing problem. Dr Reyneker has observed that many bunions are asymptomatic. Many patients only present after friction and pressure from poor footwear causes pain and increases the size of the growth the point where standard shoe sizes no longer fit comfortably.

A revolutionary bunion treatment

Dr Reyneker has developed a treatment protocol that relieves the pain caused by bunions.

Shock wave therapy can help to mitigate pain and inflammation caused by bunions. Stimulating blood flow to the cartilage around the area can promote soft tissue healing in the foot, leading to a decrease in swelling and reducing the visible size of the bunion. This treatment has already been successfully deployed in managing knee osteoarthritis.

A combined approach is needed

This said, shock wave therapy is not the sole solution. This methodology can be used to control the pain of the bunion while traditional treatments such as splints, correction of walking anomalies and a re-examination of the appropriate footwear works to correct the angle of deformity.

Bunion sufferers should speak to a professional podiatrist on whether custom made orthotics or night splints would be appropriate for their circumstances. Patients should also minimise the amount of time they spende in potentially aggravating shoes. Dr Reyneker recommends only using your heels or your tight dress shoes for meetings and special occasions, leaving them at home on days you don’t need them and keeping a more comfortable pair close at hand on days you do.

Dr Reyneker’s approach was recently covered in the Business Times.

Below is a reader friendly version:

TOE THE LINE

By May Yip

Long blamed for causing the deformed bulge in the foot known as a bunion, those pointy-toed Blahniks may have been getting a bad reputation for all the wrong reasons. According to podiatrist Dr Mark Reyneker from Family Podiatry Centre, bunions are an inherited disorder and the belief they are linked to ill-fitting shoes is not strongly supported by research. Almost 90 per cent of sufferers have at least one family member who also had a bunion deformity.

But before you spend the day in your favourite vertiginous pumps, beware that the condition is nevertheless aggravated by the wrong shoe. The good news is that whether it is caused by Blahniks or Aunt Beatrice’s bloodline, this condition can be managed and treated – without even going under the knife.

According to Dr Reyneker, SHOCK WAVE THERAPY reduces inflammation in joints and can stimulate blood flow to the cartilage. Having been successfully used for knee osteoarthritis, the treatment can promote soft tissue healing in the foot and treats inflammation and swelling to reduce the size of those unsightly, growth-like deformities.

But getting rid of bunions isn’t quite as simple as zapping them into submission. While it reduces swelling and inflammation, shockwave therapy does not change the angle of deformity. It has to be combined with various splints, correction of walking anomalies and foot wear changes – no walking in vertiginous heels all day – for results. In any case, what’s the point of wearing designer shoes 24/7 if someday your bunions would prevent you from wearing them altogether?

“Most are asymptomatic and it only becomes a problem when it makes the foot so wide that most standard shoe sizes can’t fit properly,” says Dr Reyneker. “Friction and pressure from shoes then cause pain and swelling in various areas.”

In short, bunion sufferers might want to give themselves a break from the stiletto of the moment and try on a trending pair of Stan Smiths or plain ol’ Keds. Dr Reyneker suggests getting fitted for custom-made orthotics, or insoles that fit inside the shoe, and a night splint to reduce the angle of the deformity.

“Use them strategically,” says Mark, when asked about shoes for bunions. “Use them when needed for meetings and special occasions, and swap to another pair that you keep in your bag, car or office. Finally, take them off whenever you can on days that you wear them.”