Bunion Development and Risk Factors

Clinical Significance in High-Risk Populations

• Increased plantar pressures from prominent metatarsal heads accelerate deformity progression in patients with bunions, according to the American Diabetes Association 1, 2
• In diabetic patients, bunions substantially increase ulceration risk through elevated plantar foot pressures, with the combination of peripheral neuropathy, minor trauma, and foot deformity (including bunions) present in over 63% of diabetic patients with ulcerations 2
• Bunions represent a critical foot deformity that increases fall risk in elderly patients and ulceration risk in those with neuropathy, and should not be dismissed as merely cosmetic issues, as stated by the American Diabetes Association 1