Shoes for painful bunions

[MyrtlethePurpleTurtle]

I have had bunions on both feet for c.10 years - unsightly but not painful.

However, recently they have become painful. On two recent occasions, I've had flare ups and have been unable to walk without pain.

I wear wide fitting soft shoes but think I probably need specialist shoes as bunions are protruding even from those.

Does anyone have recommendations for comfortable bunion shoes? I'm not fussed about style and elegance and happy to have 'old lady' shoes if they're comfortable (hence not posting in Style & Beauty!).

Ideally I would be looking for one pair of day to day comfortable shoes (like the flat practical soft shoes nurses wear or slip one) and a pair of walking boots.

Thank you in advance to any fellow bunion sufferers.

[Left]

I have similar and mainly wear men’s trainers and walking boots as they’re wider.

[MyrtlethePurpleTurtle]

I hadn't thought of men's shoes - have been making do with extra wide shoes , or sizing up (but then am slopping around in shoes too big).

I think I am looking for something with a wide 'toe box' (??) but not too big elsewhere

[highlandcoo]

I don't know where you live OP - anywhere in the NW?

I can recommend Whalley Warm and Dry in Lancashire for walking boots as they will measure your feet very carefully to identify the most suitable boots and will then mould them to accommodate bunions so they fit perfectly.

[NewPinkJacket]

Following with interest as I have a bunion on my right foot.

My problem is I have very narrow/slim feet, so if I buy wide fitting shoes, my left shoe starts flapping.

[LadyGardenersQuestionTime]

I found using orthotics made a massive difference to foot pain - just the ones you can buy online/in boots were fine for me. You do need to carry them round while you are trying on shoes.

Have you looked at Hotter?

[BungleandGeorge]

Softinos- very soft leather. Would a custom orthotic help?

[MyrtlethePurpleTurtle]

@LadyGardenersQuestionTime

I found using orthotics made a massive difference to foot pain - just the ones you can buy online/in boots were fine for me. You do need to carry them round while you are trying on shoes.

Have you looked at Hotter?

I phoned Hotter as their brand comes up when googling 'shoes for women with bunions' (!). They said their brand is (very) wide fitting but would be wide all over and not designed for bunions. But that would probably still be better than sizing up

[MyrtlethePurpleTurtle]

@highlandcoo

I don't know where you live OP - anywhere in the NW?

I can recommend Whalley Warm and Dry in Lancashire for walking boots as they will measure your feet very carefully to identify the most suitable boots and will then mould them to accommodate bunions so they fit perfectly.

I'm in London - have just googled Whalley Warm and Dry and it looks great!

[cheekaa]

I also have bunions and swear by Vivobarefoot. In fact since I started wearing them in 2017 I have not worn any other shoes!! They have a store in Covent Garden.

[MyrtlethePurpleTurtle]

@LadyGardenersQuestionTime and @BungleandGeorge - I eventually got an appointment at my GPs surgery and the doctor (not my regular doctor) just shrugged, said they were bunions (but didn't examine my feet) and there was nothing to be done 🙄 . So I'll self refer to a podiatrist and hopefully they can advise about orthotics etc (which I didn't know about)

[FrogFairy]

I don’t have any, but Queen Camilla apparently loves these shoes

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8372883/Duchess-Cornwall-ELEVEN-pairs-bunion-busting-shoes.html

https://solebliss.com/?gclid=Cj0KCQjwj_ajBhCqARIsAA37s0yZj9Mej96wclUYy5ARvVJmvMojaj-c-PyEBI9MR6fHBPzNzCGIFqQaAgz-EALw_wcB

[MyrtlethePurpleTurtle]

@cheekaa

I also have bunions and swear by Vivobarefoot. In fact since I started wearing them in 2017 I have not worn any other shoes!! They have a store in Covent Garden.

Thank you. A (non bunion) friend is evangelical,about them so,you are not alone

[Eyesopenwideawake]

If they've become painful then any shoe will hurt. Surgery time (sorry!).

[Annfr]

Sorry I came here to say surgery too!
My husbands became v painful and the NHS was actually quite quick. He's so much happier now!

[MyrtlethePurpleTurtle]

@FrogFairy

I don’t have any, but Queen Camilla apparently loves these shoes

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8372883/Duchess-Cornwall-ELEVEN-pairs-bunion-busting-shoes.html

https://solebliss.com/?gclid=Cj0KCQjwj_ajBhCqARIsAA37s0yZj9Mej96wclUYy5ARvVJmvMojaj-c-PyEBI9MR6fHBPzNzCGIFqQaAgz-EALw_wcB

@FrogFairy - it was actually a Daily Mail article about Julia Roberts having bunions and wearing this brand that alerted me to their existence and that shoes for women with bunions actually exist. They're at the upper price range (eg £189 for trainers) and don't have a physical store - but I may give them a go if there's not a suitable cheaper alternative

[MyrtlethePurpleTurtle]

Thank you, @Eyesopenwideawake, and @Annfr .mThe GP I saw was incredibly dismissive - ie didn't examine my feet and just shrugged and said there was nothing that could be done. What I looked at him, with some incredulity to ask if I had to just have days when I couldn't walk without pain, he said that surgery was a last resort and if I really wanted to, I could self refer to a podiatrist.

FWIW - my late mother had bunions and had to have surgery. I don't remember much about it as I was a small child at the time sand now sadly can't ask her

[Eyesopenwideawake]

Just a FYI, I live in Portugal and had one bunion removed at a clinic in Coimbra, it was day surgery which cost €3000. Excellent results, you can barely see the scar.

[bellocchild]

Get your bunions done! It's NHS day surgery, and not particularly painful. You might need a size or two bigger in shoes for a few weeks - try cheap trainers. It is worth googling foot surgeons in your area, because they are specialists. Ask your GP for a referral.

[Eyesopenwideawake]

"Not particularly painful"??? I admire your fortitude!!!

[alargeoneforme]

I recently had the most painful of my two bunions operated on. Honestly, best thing I ever did. Life changing. Though, for me, the pain had got to the point where I couldn't walk properly or very far. But my surgeon explained that, no matter how wide the toe box in a shoe, once the bunion was too far gone, shoe shape just wasn't going to help.

But if you still want to try the show option... Not tried them, very expensive and 'fashionable', so maybe not what you're after, OP, but Sole Bliss are designed specifically for bunions, with wide toe box. And I've also been recommended Sargasso and Wide.

[NewPinkJacket]

Those who have had their bunions operated on, how long were you off your feet for if you don't mind me asking?

I work on my feet and wondered how long I might have to take off work.

[Eyesopenwideawake]

A couple of weeks with minimal weight on the foot and 6 weeks in a boot. Got told off for wearing normal shoes to my checkup! The swelling goes down gradually over 3/4 months.

[Georgie8]

I can thoroughly recommend Sole Bliss.

Not an inexpensive option but, overall, I’d say cheaper than Russell & Bromley.

Depending on how bad your bunions are, Vionics are also quite good. Not strictly for bunions, but have an in-built orthotic which helps massively.

Waiting to have surgery …..

[NewPinkJacket]

@Eyesopenwideawake

A couple of weeks with minimal weight on the foot and 6 weeks in a boot. Got told off for wearing normal shoes to my checkup! The swelling goes down gradually over 3/4 months.

Thank you!

Hope it's much better now

[alargeoneforme]

@NewPinkJacket

Those who have had their bunions operated on, how long were you off your feet for if you don't mind me asking?

I work on my feet and wondered how long I might have to take off work.

Supposed to be 6 weeks. I work in a sedentary job so that helped. Surgeon count have been clearer that those who keep it elevated and rested as much as possible will have the best recovery/long term outcomes. I did a tiny bit of driving from week 5 onwards but otherwise used crutches to get about and had it raised as much as possible. 6 months now. Told it would take a full year for all inflammation to go and to be fully healed, can get back to running after 6 months. Still gets a bit sore but MILES better than it was. Don't regret it for a second.