Bunions are an incredibly common foot condition. More than 100 million Americans have a bunion, making it one of the most common foot conditions in the US and throughout the world. And while a number of factors may be leading to an uptick in bunion onset, an analysis of medieval skeletons suggests that bunions were also an issue hundreds of years ago. We take a closer look at a brief history of bunions during the middle ages in today’s blog.
Bunions In Medieval Times
To get a better understanding of the history of bunions, archaeologists examined human skeletons from the Middle Ages that were buried in four different cemeteries in and near Cambridge in England. In all, they examined 177 adult skeletons buried in four cemeteries in the following locations:
- A village called Cherry Hinton outside Cambridge (n=37)
- The parish church of All Saints by the Castle on the edge of town (n=50)
- The charitable Hospital of St. John the Evangelist, now part of St. John’s College (n=69)
- An Augustinian friary in the town (n=21)
Upon review, researchers found that 18 percent of all skeletons showed signs of bunion onset. Interestingly, they found that bunions appeared to be much more common during the 14th and 15th centuries than in the 11th-13th centuries. That led researchers to speculate that the popularity of poulaines, a type of narrow, pointed shoe that was more popular among wealthy individuals during the 14th and 15th centuries may have led to an influx of bunions.
This theory also gained traction when looking at the social hierarchy of the time. They found that there were more bunions on skeletons in locations where wealthier or more affluent people were likely buried. The bunion rates were:
- In the friary (43%)
- The hospital (23%)
- The cemetery on the edge of town (10%)
- the rural parish cemetery (3%)
Finally, researchers also noted that skeletons had a higher likelihood of showing evidence of a previous arm fracture if they also had signs of bunion onset. In a modern population, research has found that bunions can alter a person’s gait and make them more unsteady on their feet, increasing their likelihood of a fall. In other words, people hundreds of years ago may have faced the same balance issues that patients with bunions face today. If you don’t treat the problem correctly, you may be increasing your risk of a severe fall.