OET Listening Teil B: Bunion Causes and Effects

Well, you've got what's known as a bunion.

It's just so ugly.

I've even stopped wearing open-toed shoes.

How did this happen? I mean, I'm far too young to have this.

That's actually a common misconception.

The condition can be inherited or even associated with diseases of the joints like osteoarthritis.

But the most common cause is poorly fitting footwear,

particularly shoes with narrow toe boxes.

Ah, most of mine do have rather narrow ends,

but surely that can't change the shape of your foot.

I mean, my big toe's pointing in the wrong direction.

What actually happens is the metatarsal, which is the long bone in the middle of your foot, deviates towards the other foot,

while the hallux, otherwise known as the big toe, pushes towards the other toes,

so we get a very prominent joint protruding outwards, such as you have here.

I see.