By Joey Ari
We can experience foot discomfort after a walk or jog for years and pay no attention to it. The situation could be much better if we understood more about the connection between improper footwear and foot pathology. In this article, we will consider the problem of choosing the best shoes if you have bunions.
How to Recognize a Bunion
You can only get an accurate diagnosis from your doctor, but you can understand if there is a problem yourself by some visual signs. Bursitis presents as an enlarging bump on the side of the foot near the big toe. At first, this area becomes inflamed, and then the node gets bigger. It begins to press on the big toe in the most advanced stages. It curves toward the middle toe and puts a lot of pressure on it and possibly the rest of the toes. You can feel the pain because of the severe toe crowding and strong friction between the shoe and the bump.
It is up to everyone to decide what to do in this situation. Someone takes it for granted and just occasionally takes pills to relieve the pain. Other people choose to undergo complex surgery. In any case, the best thing you can do for the health of your feet is to start wearing the right shoes.
Best Shoes for Bunions
The main problem of the feet with bunions is their irregular shape. The foot becomes much broader in the toe area than in a person with a healthy foot, hence the problem with choosing shoes. Often they are too tight. In addition, the foot gets bigger during the day. It causes severe pain, heaviness in the feet, a burning sensation, and so on.
The right shoes cannot cure bunions, but they can make you forget about wanting to go home and take them off as soon as possible. With the right shoes made for bunions, you can walk, run, and stand for much longer than usual. So, the right footwear meets the following criteria:
- Provide enough space in the toe area. That doesn’t mean that the sneakers have to feature some weird shape. You just need to avoid socks that are too tight. If you have bunions, you might want to wear a supinator or special silicone pads. They will take up extra space in the sneaker, so you should consider this.
- Soft fabric. Running shoes often have either the entire surface made of the mesh or inserts of it. It can also be any other elastic material. That would be good for your bones that are bulging. Sneakers will not put pressure on them but will be able to take the shape of the foot instead. In addition, breathable materials allow the foot to sweat less, as a consequence, the shoes will not chafe much.
- Weight of sneakers. Refuse to wear heavy shoes. If you have running sessions, your task is to provide maximum comfort to your feet. It will be much easier to run in sneakers that barely feel on your foot.
- Inner sole. That is the part between the main sole and the insole. It should be as cushioning as possible, especially in the big toe area.
It is also worth keeping in mind that bunions can be one of the problems. If you have inflammation and a bump in the heel area, you might unconsciously avoid stepping on your foot in that area while in great pain. That means that over time, you can develop other foot deformities, such as hyper or overpronation.
In simple terms, this means that your foot tilts on its outer or inner edge when you run, which is not good either. But the good news is that if you have this problem, you can help yourself with shoes with the proper insole.
These shoes will guide your feet into the correct position and provide extra support in the problem areas of the feet. Also, do not forget that even the best shoes sometimes do not exclude wearing additional attributes such as orthopedic insoles, supinators, and so on.
Where to Buy Shoes for Bunions
That is another issue that can cause stress. After all, you might think you have to forget about your favorite sports stores and shoes from famous brands because of bunions. In fact, you don’t need to change stores. It is enough to adjust your selection criteria a little bit. If you want to buy shoes in online stores, they also have a place. The main thing is that you have the opportunity to try on and return them in case of anything.
You can find your ideal sneakers among well-known sportswear brands, such as New Balance or ASICS. They make very lightweight, breathable shoes. The right model often has extra space for your bones.
A Few Additional Tips
When choosing the proper shoes, make sure you are comfortable in them right now. An unscrupulous seller might say that the sneakers are stiff because they are brand new, and the feeling will go away after a couple of days. That is not true. You should feel comfortable right away.
You might need a new shoe lacing skill. The base of the lacing is too close to the bone, which can cause discomfort. However, you can correct this with the original lacing method.
Do It Right
Remember that even the right shoes won’t completely relieve you of pain if you have bunions. In this article, you have found some general recommendations that will help you understand what you might have been doing wrong and change your approach to choosing shoes. If you plan to run regularly, it is definitely worth visiting an orthopedist to identify problems with your foot. That way, you’ll get better advice on how to make your active life easier when you have bunions.
Do you lead an active life despite having bunions? Which kind of sneakers do you prefer to wear?
