How do I slow my bunion down?

June 4, 2009 12:11 PM

Bunion filter: What can I do now to prevent my developing bunion from getting worse later?

I am developing a bunion on my right foot (bony protrusion + big toe starting to slant toward the other toes). It hurts only occasionally and mostly mildly, so it isn't a huge concern yet. But I know that it can get much worse and much more painful, so I'd like to take whatever steps I can now to limit its progression. There is way too much out there on the internet for me to intelligently sort through, so:

What have you done/wished you'd done to make your bunions better or prevent them to begin with?

Things I'm already doing:
Wearing the proper size shoes (difficult since my feet are freakishly wide to begin with- I wear a size 7.5 EW (American)).
No high heels except at work, where I mostly sit, and then only 2 inch heels or less.
Stopping walking on it if it hurts a lot.
I go barefoot whenever I can get away with it.

Thanks!

posted by ohio to health & fitness (6 comments total)

Early in my college years, I was in much the same situation. The doctor I consulted said to wear Earth shoes (oops, I just dated myself!) or any footwear that had no seams or straps across the incipient bunion.

I've followed the latter advice much more than the former (since Earth shoes really didn't complement business suits very well), and have had no real problems nor has the bunion gotten any larger. As long as your shoes are comfortable and don't bind at all across the bunion, you should be okay.
posted by DrGail at 12:48 PM on June 4

I hear that orthotics can help a lot.
posted by ottereroticist at 12:50 PM on June 4

There are a lot of bunion-related products on this site that you might investigate.
posted by jennyb at 12:54 PM on June 4

Taping can help a lot when it's particularly bad or when you do stuff that you know is not good for it - I usually tape before I run, and it helps tremendously with pain. It seemed to mostly stop its progress, too.
posted by peachfuzz at 1:03 PM on June 4 [1 favorite has favorites]

http://www.vibramfivefingers.com/

Not sure if those will help, but supposedly they spread your toes apart, whereas conventional shoes pull them together.

I had a bunionectomy on both feet at 18, it improved the condition of 1, did not alter the condition of the other. If I could go back, I would have just worn the above shoes, or flip flops more often.
posted by mhuckaba at 9:28 PM on June 4

I have a pretty bad bunion on my right foot. In addition to wearing the right size shoes, I have found that shoes made of very soft leather or suede are much more comfortable than regular leather shoes. I still wear heels most of the time, but I avoid pointy-toed styles. Also, my mom got me some YogaToes -- they hurt at first but I think they have helped with the hammertoes that I was developing as my big toe was pushed to the side.
posted by transporter accident amy at 12:28 AM on June 5