This question can be heard multiples times per week in a Podiatrists’ office, and the answer to the questions is: No, not exactly! Bunions have a variety of etiologies that can act alone or in combination with one another causing deformity of the first ray (1st metatarsal and bones of the 1st toe). Just because Mom or Pop may have a bunion, you didn’t inherit your bunions from them, you inherited their abnormal foot type.