Bunion and bottom turns.

tedshred

Gerry Lopez status
Apr 15, 2008
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I’ve got a large bunion on my right foot (regular foot) that has developed over my near 30 year surfing history. Odd thing is I’m convinced it’s purely from applying lots of pressure to my backfoot (I’m a regular foot). I have noticed in photos my backfoot is rarely flat on my board but more weighted directly on my big toe/ bunion 100 percent of the time.

Most of the time it’s painless but if something irregular happens and the joint gets agitated I get a nasty case of turf toe that takes months to subside. 7 years ago it was a botched air that landed with all my weight pushing my big toe sideways towards my other toes. A week or two ago it was a tube where i was jamming my back foot into my toe rail to lock into the barrel and my foot slipped again pushing my toe sideways into my other toes and agitating the joint.

Other than surfing flat footed which I believe hinders the bottom turn. What are the short and long term solutions for this ailment? I’ve been RICE’ing it and if I recall correctly last time is taped my big toe to the next to stabilize it. With the surf season upon us in Northern California there is not way I can stay off it for the next 2-3 months.

Any Advice?
 

manbearpig

Duke status
May 11, 2009
29,772
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in the bathroom
I have a bunion on my right foot that I broke and broke my ankle on. As well as a chip of bone floating in the joint of big toe. Doc thinks they’re related and that I had broken my foot at some point as well.

biggest factor for me was footwear that didn’t irritate it. Wider toed shoes and not pressing against it.

also being very conscious about how much impact it takes and trying to make my left foot the dominant one; such as getting out of my car/truck/equipment. Stuff like if I need to do something where I need to be on my knees my left one is the one at the 90 degree that I might use for leverage and right foot (with bunion) is out flat behind me.
 
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LifeOnMars

Michael Peterson status
Jan 14, 2020
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I’ve got a large bunion on my right foot (regular foot) that has developed over my near 30 year surfing history. Odd thing is I’m convinced it’s purely from applying lots of pressure to my backfoot (I’m a regular foot). I have noticed in photos my backfoot is rarely flat on my board but more weighted directly on my big toe/ bunion 100 percent of the time.
had this over the summer, peeled off and hurt like fook. think it was the pad design/hardness, can't remember the last time it happened. had this pad on and i'm pretty sure the high knobby design was the cause. still surfed and was ok, put a bandaid over the boo boo :cry:


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john4surf

Kelly Slater status
May 28, 2005
8,927
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CBS, CA
I have a bunion on my right foot that I broke and broke my ankle on. As well as a chip of bone floating in the joint of big toe. Doc thinks they’re related and that I had broken my foot at some point as well.

biggest factor for me was footwear that didn’t irritate it. Wider toed shoes and not pressing against it.

also being very conscious about how much impact it takes and trying to make my left foot the dominant one; such as getting out of my car/truck/equipment. Stuff like if I need to do something where I need to be on my knees my left one is the one at the 90 degree that I might use for leverage and right foot (with bunion) is out flat behind me.
I will have surgery on my large toe, right foot. Similar story but my problem (arthritis) developed from decades of dragging my right foot on the board when I ‘popped up.’ The will remove a floating piece of bone then fuse the large toe to the foot and install a plate on top of the toe to the foot. Not looking forward to the recovery period…

As an aside, I had a full body bone scan after discovery of a cancerous tumor on the prostate about 10 years ago. The tech came in and advised the bone scan indicated the cancer hadn’t spread to the bones but, “Did you know your large toe on your right foot is quite arthritic?” Was the diagnosis from the scan. I dealt with that damned toe for years and years…
 
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john4surf

Kelly Slater status
May 28, 2005
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CBS, CA
If the question is directed to me, no. The foot arthritis is right foot. Knee replacement (TKR) is left leg. I had it scanned and they discovered a clot from my groin to mid-calf. Air miles, 4 ½ million air miles on AA and morbid obesity probably caused the clot. Dropped 50 pounds, all’s good for my age except the arthritis.
 

manbearpig

Duke status
May 11, 2009
29,772
10,245
113
in the bathroom
I will have surgery on my large toe, right foot. Similar story but my problem (arthritis) developed from decades of dragging my right foot on the board when I ‘popped up.’ The will remove a floating piece of bone then fuse the large toe to the foot and install a plate on top of the toe to the foot. Not looking forward to the recovery period…

As an aside, I had a full body bone scan after discovery of a cancerous tumor on the prostate about 10 years ago. The tech came in and advised the bone scan indicated the cancer hadn’t spread to the bones but, “Did you know your large toe on your right foot is quite arthritic?” Was the diagnosis from the scan. I dealt with that damned toe for years and years…
I ignored it for awhile too. When I started paying attention to what worked it was a game changer. But I’ll probably have to get that surgery down the line as well, I heard it’s not a fun one.

best of luck to you
 
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