The Untold Suffering of Hard-Working Tailors
posted: Feb. 19, 2015.
The Untold Suffering of Hard-Working Tailors
If you’ve ever considered a day in the life of a tailor, you would probably imagine endless hours of measuring, cutting, pinning and sewing…not bunions! But this was an occupational hazard for tailors in the past. Many hours sitting cross-legged on the floor resulted in pressure on the outside of the feet. This pressure caused pain, inflammation and sometimes deformity of the joint on the lateral side of the foot where the smallest toe is attached.
Today, there might not be quite so many tailors at large so when the condition presents itself, the cause is more likely associated with footwear or a faulty mechanical structure of the foot than with occupation. A genetic predisposition may be suspected in people born with very wide feet where the smallest toes are tucked underneath the next toe. Continuous irritation of the area by footwear results in a larger bony protuberance which makes wearing shoes uncomfortable, especially if the shoes are narrow across the toes or have high heels, therefore forcing the forefoot down into an already cramped space.
If you find yourself in this category, alas you are not alone. According to a health article on dailymail.co.uk, one in five of us will develop these lesions, which are known as Tailor’s bunions or bunionettes. The good news is that they are easy to diagnose and not difficult to treat. A qualified podiatrist like Sheldon H. Nadal D.P.M. will be able to determine the best course of action. Conservative treatments involve oral pain relief or steroid injections together with footwear modifications (or alternatives) and padding to deflect pressure from the area. Icing the area reduces inflammation and sometimes orthotic devices that correct the underlying mechanical problems may work.
If conservative treatments are unsuccessful, there are a number of surgical alternatives which are quick and mostly minimally invasive and the patient can wear normal footwear within a few days.
Resources:
http://www.aofas.org/footcaremd/treatments/Pages/Bunionette-Deformity-Correction.aspx
http://www.foothealthfacts.org/footankleinfo/tailors-bunion.htm