Around 15 million people suffer from bunions in the UK and a staggering 85 per cent of those are women including celebrities Victoria Beckham, Gwyneth Paltrow and Nigella Lawson.

Consultant orthopaedic surgeon Heath Taylor has been a specialist in foot and ankle surgery for nearly 10 years and operates at Nuffield Health Bournemouth Hospital.

The most common foot and ankle problems he deals with are bunions and foot and ankle arthritis.

Hallux valgus, more commonly known as bunions, is caused by the big toe turning outwards, often leading to a painful bony bump developing on the joint at the base of the big toe. This can also cause problems for the lesser toes, which become crowded by the big toe.

Research has shown that up to 80 per cent of women will suffer from foot problems at some point and 15 per cent from bunions. People with a strong family history of bunions, especially down the female side, have an increased risk of developing them. Wearing ill-fitting, narrow footwear may compound the problem, particularly for high risk people.

Symptoms include swelling of the big toe, which rubs on the inside of the shoe causing pain. Some sufferers cope with the problem by wearing supportive footwear or open-toed shoes, but this is not suitable for the winter months.

“With people living longer than they did 30 years ago, 70 has become the new 60,” Mr Taylor says.

“I see a lot of patients who want to wear nice shoes and won’t tolerate wearing ugly footwear.

“People retire to the area to enjoy a good quality of life but they can’t exercise or walk the dog if their feet hurt. We want to help them keep fit and active to promote healthy hearts, lungs and minds.”

If the pain is progressing the only cure for bunions is to have an operation to remove them. Mr Taylor performs more than 200 procedures to correct bunions each year. Dispelling the myth that bunion surgery is painful, Mr Taylor explains: “Surgical procedures to treat bunions have advanced hugely in recent years and are performed under general anaesthetic with an ankle block to eliminate the pain.”

There are several types of procedures available, including less invasive procedures such as keyhole surgery. It is often possible to do both feet at the same time. During surgery the bone is reset and fixed with screws allowing the patient to walk on it straight away. Patients should be able to return home the same day.

Although unusual in children, bunions are not just an ailment of the elderly. Mr Taylor has seen a number of cases of bunions in children as young as eight.

The risk of the bunion returning is further reduced if the surgery is performed by an experienced consultant orthopaedic surgeon that specialises in Foot & Ankle Surgery.

To find out more about the foot and ankle treatments available, Mr Taylor and his fellow consultant Mark Farrar are hosting an open event on Wednesday, April 3 at Nuffield Health Bournemouth Hospital. For details call the customer service department on 01202 703830.