She's called them ‘the bane of her life' for years - and we're not even talking about the rest of the Spice Girls. We're talking about the bunions that are causing Posh so much trouble she's considering undergoing painful surgery to correct her less than perfect looking feet.

Feet First
After years of high heel abuse, Victoria has been forced to make the decision about the future of her feet by health experts - either operate on them, or bid a sad farewell to her heels... forever.

Rarely snapped out of skyscraper designer shoes, Victoria's obsession with pointy heels could soon be coming to an end. "I hate my feet, they are the most disgusting thing about me," says the shoe-loving fashionista. "Part of the reason I wear such amazing shoes is to detract attention away from my horrid feet, and focus the eye on to the stunning shoes."

Despite putting up with the pain for years, the recent Spice Girls tour placed huge pressure on Victoria's misshapen feet, as she was required to dance and stand on stage in a variety of vertiginous creations for hours at a time. Now, just a few weeks down the line, Vic is in more pain than ever before, and is scared that if she doesn't do something about her bunions soon, they'll cripple her before she's 40. "Victoria's had enough of having bad feet, and has made enquiries about having her rather unpleasant bunions removed," said a source. "She knows the operation is unpleasant, and she'll be out of action for a while, but thinks it will be worth it."

Put Your Feet Up, Posh
If Victoria does have the operation - a bunionectomy - her high-heel-wearing days could well be a thing of the past.

Normally performed on much older sufferers, Posh will have to rest for at least three days after the procedure, have her feet bandaged for at least a fortnight, and could be on crutches for as long as two months. Worse still, she will be forbidden to wear any kind of high-heeled shoe while she recovers - which means that it will be flip-flops and trainers all the way for the self-confessed flatty-phobe. Just send those Louboutins our way, hon - we know you're not going to be needing them anymore...

Majorly Painful

So what exactly is a bunion? Kick off your heels and read on...

What Is It?
A bunion is a swelling on the side of the joint where the big toe meets the foot.

How Do You Get Them?
They usually develop as a result of wearing ill-fitting shoes, or those that cramp the foot. High heels, which push your body weight on to the front of the foot, or extremely pointy shoes which push the toes together, are major offenders.

Who Gets Them?
Women get bunions more often than men because they tend to wear pointed or high-heeled shoes, which place a great strain on the toe joints. Women also tend to have looser ligaments than men, which make them more prone to getting bunions. Dancers, waitresses and athletes are often sufferers, but Posh may take comfort from the fact that Paris Hilton also has some shocking bunions on her enormous feet.