What is Tailor’s Bunion? Learn more about its Symptoms and Causes
Tailor’s bunion, also called a bunionette, is a prominence of the fifth metatarsal bone at the base of the little toe. The metatarsals are the five long bones of the foot. The prominence that characterizes a tailor’s bunion occurs at the metatarsal “head”, located at the far end of the bone where it meets the toe. Tailor’s bunions are not as common as bunions, which occur on the inside of the foot, but they are similar in symptoms and causes.
Symptoms of Tailor’s Bunion
A Tailor’s bunion is actually a multifaceted deformity of the foot that involves:
- A bump on the outside of the foot (at the base of the fifth metatarsal head)
- Swelling and redness over the bump
- Outward angulation of the fifth metatarsal bone
- Inward rotation of the little toe
Causes of Tailor’s Bunion
The Tailor’s bunions can be caused by a number of factors. Often the ligaments that hold the bones of the foot together are more flexible than normal. This allows the fifth metatarsal bone to gradually move outward and the little toe to turn in near the fourth toe. This can be due to:
The bony lump can be irritated and can be aggravated by the following:
- High heels
- Damage to the outside of the foot
- Poor foot mechanics. Such as excessive pronation (rolling of the foot), a wide forefoot or people who put weight on the outside of the foot (supination).
- Arthritis of the fifth toe joint
- Poorly fitting footwear that pushes the fifth toe inwards
Are you suffering from this condition? At The Chelsea Clinic, we can help. One of our podiatrist can assist and then recommend what treatments are best to get you back on track. Podiatrist South Kensington
Schedule an appointment here or you may call us at +44 (0) 207 101 4000.
We hope you have a feetastic day!
-The Chelsea Clinic and Team
