– “The bone on the leg” is a folk term; in fact, this is nothing more than a bone-cartilaginous proliferation of the head of the first metatarsal bone.
It occurs, as a rule, due to wearing narrow high-heeled shoes. At the same time, heredity is also important: often a mother, grandmother or one of the closest relatives has a “bone on the leg”.
A “bone on the leg” appears when the forefoot becomes more flat, that is, with the progression of transverse flat feet.
There is no danger as such, but it must be remembered that this proliferation of the head of the metatarsal bone can increase and, over time, become the reason for surgical treatment – the removal of this osteochondral formation. By itself, this operation is technically simple, performed under local anesthesia, and lasts about 30 minutes. After removing the stitches on the 14th day, the load on the foot can be gradually increased, and after another two weeks it is permissible to fully load the foot.
If the “bone” on the leg is a purely cosmetic problem, then the decision to perform the operation does not require urgency.
If, in addition to the cosmetic aspect, pain, discomfort when walking, difficulties with wearing shoes are worried, surgical treatment is quite justified. However, the final decision, of course, always rests with the patient. You can first try a course of physiotherapy, massage.
Prevention in this case is wearing comfortable soft shoes with a heel of no more than 4 cm, ideally wearing orthopedic shoes. You should avoid walking in high heels for a long time, try to carry less heavy bags.
If you notice the appearance of redness, calluses appear, intermittent pain and discomfort in the area of the first toe bother you, make an appointment with an orthopedic traumatologist.