Hallux Valgus Management: An Update Based on National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) Guidelines

Hallux valgus, commonly known as a bunion, is a prevalent condition involving lateral deviation of the hallux (big toe). This may result in pain and functional impairment. Conservative methods such as orthoses, physiotherapy, and analgesia are first-line treatment. When conservative treatment fails, surgical intervention may be necessary, and traditionally, the gold standard of care has involved surgical intervention utilizing an open approach. However, recent National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines now recognizes the use of minimally invasive percutaneous surgical techniques as a viable option for Hallux correction alongside traditional open procedures. Open and minimally invasive techniques appear equivocal in their safety profiles with similar patient-reported outcome measures.