FACT SHEET
Are Bunions Hereditary?
The simple answer is NO!
The colour of your hair, eyes, your height or lack of it, and your overall body shape are determined by the gene pool it was supplied, so it goes without saying that your foot-type (and shape) has also come from the same gene pool (your parents).
Many female patients assume their Bunions developed from wearing incorrect footwear when they were younger or from shoes that were way too high and had pointed toes, which in some cases can be true, however there is a very strong hereditary component working behind the scenes that people are aware of, which explains why some men develop bunions.
The True Cause of Bunions
When you walk your body weight should pass directly through your big toe joint, however if a persons foot rolls inwards too much (over-pronates), then the body weight transfers off the side of the big toe with each step and slowly pushes it across to the lesser toes.
This is why you will never see a bunion in a high-arched foot-type. They may develop a large lump on the top of the toe joint, but they will never develop a true bunion.
Bunions develop slowly over many years. Once the deformity develops it can then be aggravated by footwear, which creates the redness over the area. This is why people think bunions are caused from poor fitting footwear.
Bunions cannot be reversed, unless you are prepared to go under the knife and have surgery, however their development can be halted and they can even be prevented if identified early, by using some form of shoe insert to prevent the foot from rolling inwards too much.
Even if surgery is performed, it may redevelop if the foot continues to roll inwards after the surgery.
If you have bunions, or are developing bunions, then you should see a Podiatrist.
If you have children and don’t want them to suffer the same pain and problems fitting footwear in later life, then you should also have them evaluated.
