Causes or risk factors of Bunion
The causes of hallux valgus are often not well established and vary with each person.
Family history. The main risk factor for having a bunion is other family members having one.
Type of footwear. Some reports state that people who wear closed, narrow, high-heeled shoes on a daily basis may worsen their prognosis, increasing the chances of symptoms appearing or worsening the degree of deformity.
Thus, the most common patient is one with a family predisposition to a specific foot shape or greater elasticity of the ligaments, associated with excessive use of a very pointed shoe.
Other risk factors
Hyperlaxity (hypermobility) (occasionally associated with a wide foot).
Egyptian foot. A type of foot where the big toe is longer than the second (excessively long big toe).
Flat foot (valgus).
Age. Hallux valgus generally presents between 40 and 50 years of age.
The menopause.
Obesity. This causes pronation of the foot (turning the forefoot inwards) which facilitates the appearance of hallux valgus.
Substantiated information by:
Published: 20 February 2018
Updated: 24 March 2025
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