Here’s an image of a bunion which shows what the condition looks like on x-ray from two different views.
A bunion is a drift of the bones about the great toe joint. As you can see from the above images two things generally happen with a bunion:
- There is an increase in the angle between the the first and second metatarsals (long bones)
- There is a drift of the big toe toward the 2nd toe.
The net effect is an enlargement of the big toe joint on the inside of your foot and a widening of the forefoot in this area.
Bunions can make shoe fitting especially challenging. Things to consider are soft materials over the bump like mesh or weave materials. You will also want to avoid stitching or decorative trim over the bump. And finally, shoe stretchers can also help, see my post https://drshoe.wordpress.com/2007/11/29/its-a-stretch/