A bunion, a growth of bone and soft tissue on the joint of your big toe, develops from a condition called hallux valgus, in which the bone turns outwards, forcing the big toe into the second toe.

A bunion is a deformity that most often occurs at the base of your big toe, causing swelling, pain and difficulty in walking. Poorly fitted shoes, injury and even genetics play a role in whether you will develop bunions, reports MayoClinic.com. In some cases, bunions arise as a symptom of arthritis.

If you wear high heels, tight fitting shoes or shoes with pointed toes, you may develop bunions. Medline Plus reports that if you are born with abnormal bones in your feet you may also be susceptible to bunions. A bunion forms as a bony bump located at the portion of your foot where it meets your big toe.

Bunions are a common and progressive deformity caused by a structural abnormality in the foot. Over time, they appear as an increasingly large bump on the side of the foot or at the base of the big toe.

Bunions are bumps that develop beside the big toe's bottom joint. When the big toe is under consistent pressure, the bones can begin to shift. The toe slants inward, causing the joint to distend outward. Bunions can be very painful, and they tend to develop further over time. In extreme cases, they may require surgery.