What Symptoms are Associated with Bunionettes?
Bunionettes are characterized by a visible bump on the outside of the foot below the pinky toe, which is often accompanied by a curved shape of the little toe joint.
Additionally, those with bunionnettes sometimes experience the following symptoms:
- Redness and swelling
- Burning or pain
- Corns and calluses
- Limited feeling or numbness in the toe
- Arthritis in the joint of the 5th toe
Bunionettes typically develop in stages:
- A small protrusion forms on the outside of the foot or the little toe bends inward slightly.
- The ligaments that connect the muscles of the toe to the metatarsal bone and the tendons that connect the muscles to one another become stretched, moving the little toe closer to the fourth toe.
- The new position of the toe causes extra pressure on the joint where the little toe meets the foot, the metatarsophalangeal joint. This causes the bump to enlarge.
- The fifth toe becomes so close to the fourth toe that the toes rub together, resulting in the development of corns. Calluses form on the bunionette bump due to rubbing from shoes.