Bunions are most commonly found in adults; it is commonly known to occur over a period of time. Is it true that it can be found in children? Yes! Most individuals who present with bunions report having had them for years, indicating there is a possibility of them having them when they were teenagers, thus presenting as a juvenile bunion.
Juvenile bunions are commonly noticed in children between the ages of 10 to 14 years. This could possibly be as this is the age where children get more conscious of their appearances. The bunions usually present to be asymptomatic, that is not painful. Noticing bunions in children of this age group indicates an unusual increase in forces contributing to the deformity.
Some common causes which have thought to contribute to bunion formations include:
- Hereditary
- Metatarsus adductus
- Flat foot
- Equinus
- Joint mobility
- Cerebral Palsy
- Rheumatoid arthritis
- Low muscle tone
A few studies have shown that having a pronated (flat foot) foot type is a major cause of juvenile bunions due to the increase in forces at the first toe with this foot type/structure. Systemic conditions such as Cerebral Palsy, Rheumatoid Arthritis and even Down Syndrome are considered to be rare causes of juvenile bunions.
Symptoms of this condition may include:
- Bony bump at the base of the 1st toe
- Swelling in the area
- Erythemous (redness) in the area
- Pain when active
- Difficulty with fitting into shoes
If you know of a family trait of bunions and are concerned about your child having bunions then please do come in to have a chat with your friendly podiatrist.
Reference
http://www.foothealthclinic.com.au/juvenile-bunions.html
https://www.podiatryinstitute.com/pdfs/Update_1987/1987_17.pdf
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