musculoskeletal and connective tissue disorders
Bunion
Diagnosis of Bunion
Clinical evaluation The diagnosis of a bunion is clinical; it is easily recognized on physical examination. The presence of acute circumferential intense pain, warmth, swelling, and erythema suggests alternative diagnoses such as Gout or Radiographs are generally not needed for diagnostic purposes, but weight-bearing views may be helpful in determining the extent and severity of damage to the first metatarsophalangeal joint. Suggestive findings include joint space narrowing and bony spurs extending from the metatarsal head or sometimes from the base of the proximal phalanx. On the anteroposterior (AP) radiographic view, the first metatarsal will be deviated medially, which causes the metatarsal head to be prominent in the medial soft tissue. The hallux is angulated laterally and causes excessive wear on the articular surface of the lateral aspect of the metatarsal head. The lateral sesamoid will appear in the intermetatarsal space. The hallux may abut the second digit and, in cases of severe deformity, the hallux may overlap or underlap the second toe. 