Tailor's Bunion

Most people know what a bunion is. But did you know there is another bunion of the foot that involves the little toe? It is referred to as a Tailor's bunion or bunionette, as it is involving smaller bones.

Bunions and bunionettes occur where the foot bones (metatarsals) meet the toe bones (phalanges). This area is a joint called the metatarsal phalangeal joint (MTP). Bunions affect the big toe MTP joint, where as a bunionette affects the little toe MTP joint. It is a misalignment where the foot bone meets the toe bone at the MTP joint. This misalignment causes a bony prominence where the end of the metatarsal protrudes. This typically is abnormal for the body. The body responds by forming a callus in this area to help protect the bone that is misaligned. The callus itself can be painful for patients.

Typically, the malalignment of the joint itself causes pain with motion as the bones are, literally, at odds with one another. Treatment can be conservative which includes over-the-counter remedies such as pads. These do not correct the malaligned joint. They only help protect the bony prominence and callus. Currently, the only definitive treatment is surgical intervention. Surgery is not only to take care of the bony prominence, but also it is to fix the misaligned joint. Typically the postoperative recovery is 2 to 3 months.