A tailor's bunion is a bunion/prominence of the fifth metatarsal head, similar to the bunion of the big toe that is more commonly known (hallux valgus).
The metatarsal is pushed to the outside of the foot. This creates a bulge on the outside of the foot at the base of the little toe. This bulge is called a bunion.
Complaints are usually caused by pressure and friction from the shoe against the bunion on the outside of the foot. The constant rubbing causes redness, swelling and warmth at the level of the bony protrusion. Therefore, wearing shoes often causes pain. Hereditary factors, abnormal pronation in the subtalar joint (sagging of the metatarsal arch during gait), an uncompensated forefoot varus, or a congenital dislocation of the fifth metatarsal/midfoot bone to dorsiflexion (more horizontal) or plantar flexion (more vertical) can be the cause of this.
Treatment consists of, among other things:
- redistributing the pressure by means of felt therapy
- correct shoe advice is a must in order to reduce the pressure on the bunion
- silicone therapy
- podiatric insoles (a tailor's bunion defect is an evolutionary problem and can be delayed by wearing podiatric insoles)
If all previous treatment options fail, it is advisable to consult an orthopaedic foot surgeon for surgical correction of the abnormality.