Boots always look great, especially now that the sweater weather is just around the corner. Unfortunately, if you doubt your cowboy boots, especially because you think they cause bunions.
Or perhaps you have bunions, and you're wondering if it's a result of your favorite cowboy boots. Luckily for you, you're at the right place to get all the answers to all your questions. But, first and foremost, let's deal with the big elephant in the room; can cowboy boots cause Bunions?
Cowboy boots can cause bunions if they have a narrow toe box and high heel. Studies suggest that susceptible feet form bunions when repeatedly squeezed into narrow, pointed-toe, high-heeled footwear. Therefore, some (but not all) cowboy boots can contribute to the development of bunions or irritation of bunions.
But don't panic; that doesn't mean everyone who wears cowboy blogs will develop a bunion. However, if you're someone who likes wearing just cowboy boots, you might need to reconsider your choice of shoes. It might be time to add shoes with a wider toe box to your closets.
I also want to say, that there are many cowboy boots with a wide toe box, here is a selection of cowboy boots that fit the bill... Cowboy Boots with wide square toe box, click here.
Have you noticed your big toe turn toward your other toes, or do you have red, inflamed skin on other toes, or perhaps, there's a skin on the underside of your big toe? If you've been worried about it and want to know what it is, you're on the right track. You may have a bunion, and you need to know what it is and what causes it.
A bunion typically looks like a bump that forms on the joint at the base of your big toe. This bump is usually a result of an abnormality of the foot bones that causes your big toe to tilt toward your second toe instead of being straight. This angle is what causes the bump you see on your toe. The skin over the bunion might get sore and become red.
In some cases, you won't feel any pain. But with time, a bunion will cause the toes to crowd together. This will eventually cause pain and likely a permanent deformity.
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Studies have shown that up to one in three Americans have bunions. The foot problem is, however, more common in older adults, especially women.
Bunions are also believed to be genetic by most podiatrists and medical experts. They can occur as a result of faulty foot structure, which is inherited. Other conditions that contribute to the development of bunions include:
Another leading cause of bunions is tight, narrow shoes like cowboy boots or high heels with a sloping footbed. Wearing cowboy boots for long hours causes pressure on your foot, forcing your big toe to bend in toward the second toe.
If you are already suffering from bunion pains, standing for long periods in cowboy boots or wearing ill-fitting cowboy boots will make the pain worse.
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Now that you know what a Bunion is, how do you know you're suffering from bunions? Below are some of the symptoms of bunions:
If you've been treating your bunion as just any other pain that will go, you might need to change your attitude towards it. That's because the pain associated with a bunion might make it difficult to walk without proper treatment, especially if you continue to wear ill-fitted cowboy boots. See your doctor if you have been feeling:
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There has been a lot of disagreement between experts regarding whether tight, high-heeled, or too-narrow shoes cause bunions or not. Nevertheless, it is generally believed by many experts that shoes play a major role in the development of bunions. People who wear constraining and impeding footwear such as high heels and cowboy boots for extended periods are more likely to develop a bunion.
Many cowboy boots today are ill-fitted, with little or no space for your toe to breathe, and this could lead to the development of a bunion. That's also without forgetting that some cowboy boots have an elevated heel which is another cause of bunions. Most cowboy boots have an elevated heel and are also poorly fitted, thereby placing a lot of stress on the feet.
Wearing cowboy boots when you have a bunion will only make your condition worse. By worse, we are talking about arthritis, bursitis, and a host of other nasty problems. So, you might want to stay away from cowboy boots for a while if you have a bunion.
Change of shoes might be all you need to not only manage bunion pain but also prevent it. You can speak to your doctor to help you choose the right shoes for you, but if you can't speak to one, you should know whatever shoes you are choosing should have lots of room for your toes. Most cowboy boots don't have lots of space or room for your foot, so you might want to stay away from that.
For the ladies, make sure your heels are lower than 2 inches. Any fancy cowboy boots with heels from two inches and above is bad for you. High heels tend to put pressure on the front of your foot and can cause bunions on your foot. Stay away from pointed cowboy boots or cowboy boots that crowd your toes.
Special pads are also used to treat a bunion. These special pads help cushion the area near the bunion that hurts. However, you will need to talk to your doctor first or test the pad for a short period to see if it helps.
Medications are another way to treat bunions. Painkillers like ibuprofen, acetaminophen, or naproxen can help with swelling and pain.
If a change of shoes, padding, and medications do not work, another option might be surgery. The surgery might be suggested by your doctor to straighten out your big toe.
For those of us living in Houston, Texas, we love our cowboy boots just as much as we love our food and Friday night football. The only problem is that our feet don't always feel the same.
There are so many shoes out there you can get or wear that wouldn't stuff your feet. Some of them might not suit your fashion standards, but they will certainly help reduce the risk of you developing a bunion or even help reduce the pain if you suffer from a bunion.
However, if you're bent on sticking to your boots, it will be wise to get cowboy boots with a wider toe box. Unfortunately, we all know the selection is very limited.
