Several people I know developed bunions on their feet (big toe gets deformed, because points inward while a bone protrudes outward) because of their striking technique. As you punch, you are supposed to pivot off the ball of your foot. This will cause pressure on your big toe and may cause bunions, that is why boxers wear shoes. Do any of you guys know someone who is getting a bunion or feet problems because of this?
Once, when I broke my 5th metatarsal sparring, I got to know a little about podiatry since the doctor treating me was a podiatrist. He mentioned to me that there was a condition called "turf toe" among athelete who played on Astroturf and developed problems from their body torquing around their foot (Astroturf, apparently, provides a gripping surface that causes hyperextension of the foot). I trained TKD for years, and knew others who trained longer than I, who had no such problems from constant pivoting of the foot )necessary for TKD kicks). I suspect planting the foot and turning, instead of allow the foot to turn into the kcik, causes the problem. I myself always knew if I was planting too much from soreness in my shins from over-torquing them.
the picture there is a severe bunion, which before most people get to that point they opt for surgery (obviously money issues and things like that may come into play). I wouldn't worry that much about developing a bunion, but just be careful and know the symptons if you have any of these symptons go see a doctor asap. here are some sites (you will find plenty more with a simple google search http://orthoinfo.aaos.org/fact/thr_report.cfm?Thread_ID=204&topcategory=Foot http://www.medicinenet.com/bunions/article.htm http://www.epodiatry.com/bunion.htm (has a few pics) http://orthopedics.about.com/cs/footanklesurgery/ht/bunions.htm (prevention tips) note: says nothing about refraining from any type of MA, boxing, or pivoting of the foot http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/001231.htm Most sites say the main cause are high heel and pointed toe shoes, so unless you are a women or a transvestite you don't have that much to worry about. I think one of the site mentions something about pivoting of the foot, but it said the cause of these type of bunions was because some muscles in the foot would become stronger and other would not. This lack of symmetry would cause the deformation, but with proper pivoting of the foot it could be avoided.
i dont have bunions yet but i have callices on the outside of my big toes and on the ball of my foot and it seems like the gap between my big toe and the next one is kinda big (probably just genetics) and my little toes both twist outwards kinda (they've always been like that). Is that weird?