By: Ronelle Wood, M.S.
We learn by imitation. We learn how to talk, eat, and walk by watching what our parents (or primary caregivers) do. That’s how we develop the same accent and eating habits and gait patterns they have. Bunions are not passed from one generation to the next through our DNA. Bunions develop as a result of the first metatarsal bone of the big toe being loaded with weight.
Our skeleton is designed for osteogenesis (making more bone) as a result of the amount of weight it has to carry on a regular basis. That is why it is so important to keep your body weight in your heels! Every time you take a step and your heel strikes first, it vibrates your entire skeleton and it generates exactly the amount of bone it needs to support your body weight.