Custom orthotics are a critically important component in the treatment of bunions. Even our patients who are seeking surgery to correct their bunion will need orthotics. You may be asking, what is the point? If I'm already having surgery (or you already have) why would I need an orthotic? The truth is that the reason that a bunion develops is related to your foot structure and surgery rarely changes your foot structure, rather it turns the clock back on the position of a couple of bones surrounding the big toe joint. For this reason, custom orthotics are essential to reduce the likelihood that the bunion comes back. In some cases it also helps to train the surrounding joints, tendons, etc. to more effectively transition weight through the foot. Think of this as the foot doctors' equivalent of a retainer your orthodontist may have had after wearing braces!
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