Foot health advice on bunion treatment and options

 

April 15, 2025 – Dr. Franklin Polun of National Foot and Ankle in Potomac, MD, spoke with a reporter from Fox 5 DC about foot health and bunions in celebration of National Bunion Day^™.

“A bunion is a bony prominence on the inside of the foot by the big toe that is caused by an unstable malalignment in the midfoot,” Dr. Polun said. “It allows the bones to drift.”

While bunions are often known for their cosmetic effect, Dr. Polun notes that the deformity can progress if left untreated, which can lead to pain that affects a person’s everyday life, including their ability to walk, run and wear shoes comfortably^1,2.

“The bunion deformity is caused by an unstable joint in the middle of the foot, and it’s often genetic,” said Dr. Polun^3,4. “Some of the early signs of a bunion include stiffness, redness, swelling and difficulty in finding comfortable footwear.”

Regarding treatment options, Dr. Polun recommends starting with conservative treatments, including rubber-soled shoes instead of leather and supportive footwear with a wide toe box before considering surgical options.

“First, you would go in to get an examination, have x-rays taken and have a physical exam,” Dr. Polun said. “If all the conservative treatments fail, you can have surgery to realign the bones⁵.”

Dr. Polun typically performs a procedure called Lapiplasty® 3D Bunion Correction®, which addresses the bunion deformity at its root cause^6,7. The recovery from the Lapiplasty® Procedure can typically allow a patient to return to comfortable shoes about six to eight weeks post-operation⁸.

“Bunions affect nearly one in four American adults, so it is a fairly common condition,” said Dr. Polun⁹.
“One thing we can all do to protect our feet is to invest time in finding comfortable footwear.”

Only a surgeon can tell if the Lapiplasty® Procedure is right for you. Lapiplasty® is a surgical procedure. Individual results may vary depending on age, weight, health, and other variables. There are risks and recovery takes time. For more information about recovery from the Lapiplasty® Procedure, see the recovery information and discuss the post-surgery recovery process with your doctor. Risks include infection, pain, implant loosening and loss of correction with improper bone healing. For more information on benefits, risks and recovery, visit Lapiplasty.com.

Reference Link: https://www.fox5dc.com/video/1626586