Should Rio Ferdinand Get His Bunion Diagnosed By Twitter?

Manchester United star Rio Ferdinand reached out to his Twitter followers to help him determine what the growth on his foot was. He received a bunch of jokes about the picture of his foot that he posted, before some followers told him that he is suffering from a bunion.

A bunion is a bump on the side of the great toe joint. It is generally caused because of inherited foot function, which causes the bones to shift and cause the bunion deformity. It also can be worsened by trauma, very common in soccer players. Soccer players routinely and notoriously wear their shoes too small for their feet, which causes excess pressure on the foot and can make a bunion deformity worse and more painful. Furthermore, the nature of the sport, with starting, stopping, kicking, and pivoting also puts excessive force on the foot.

The pain from a bunion can be alleviated with padding and changing shoe style, size, and width. This may not always be an option. It also does not always alleviate the pain. In these cases, surgery will be necessary to correct the bunion deformity and realign the joint.

Most importantly it is vital to not wait before you get your foot evaluated. As a bunion worsens, the procedure to correct it changes and effects the postoperative course. Don't turn to Twitter like Rio! Contact the Foot & Ankle Institute of Texas to be evaluated by a foot surgeon and learn your options.