The management of adolescent hallux valgus presents a considerable challenge for the orthopaedic foot surgeon. Those presenting fall into two groups, idiopathic and neuromuscular. The management of the symptomatic hallux in neuromuscular cases is more clearly defined with arthrodeses of the first metatarsal-phalangeal joint being the treatment of choice. This affords the most consistent long-term results and the greatest degree of correction.

In the idiopathic symptomatic hallux valgus the treatment is more variable depending on the severity of the deformity and the underlying pathological changes. The demographics of adolescent hallux valgus and its associated abnormalities are discussed. There is a higher incidence of an increase in the distal metatarsal articular angle in severe cases where combined surgical intervention in the form of double and triple osteotomies may be required to achieve long-term correction and a treatment algorithm is presented. Since approximately half of symptomatic patients will be under 10 years of age with significant residual growth early surgical intervention has a higher recurrence than in the mature foot.