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.

Have a look at Correct Toes toe spacers and shoes with anatomically shaped toe boxes, eg Vivobarefoot as mentioned above, or Birkenstocks or plenty of others. The Sole Bliss like many shoes recommended for bunions have bunion shaped toe boxes so aren't going to help! They might be comfortable in the short term as they act like a cast and prevent movement so reducing pain, but long term they will make things worse because all the width in them is across the ball of the foot and then they taper, allowing the metatarsals to spread and pulling the toes in. What you really need are shoes that hold the metatarsal in and allow the big toe to return to its correct alignment, not shoes that hold your toes in an unnatural position.

I had similar dismissive comments from my GP when I went. He just kept telling me to stop wearing high heels - I’ve worn heels maybe twice in my entire life!

I saw a podiatrist, and he did a mechanical assessment and gave me orthotics - I was sceptical, but 6 months on and I’m largely pain-free. I bought some very wide boots from hotter, that lace-up so I can get them tight, and they work well. I have naturally very wide feet across the ball, and very narrow heels though (podiatrist described my feet as flippers 😂). My bunions had made my feet even wider so I was struggling to get anything remotely wide enough, but the orthotics have kind of reshaped my foot.

So I would advise a good podiatrist (experienced in mechanics), orthotics, then try new (lace-up) shoes with the orthotics in. Worth a try, at least!

I can recommend visiting a good podiatrist. I had surgery on my right bunion and was just about to have the left bunion done (they wouldn't do both at once), when someone recommended a podiatrist to me as a way of avoiding surgery. I found the aftermath of surgery painful and it was difficult to do my manual job for many months afterwards.

The podiatrist gave me orthotics and I can honestly say that with them the unoperated foot is more comfortable now that the operated foot.

I recommend " hotter' for some everyday foitwear (I think it's called that or maybe 'hot'), fitflops, also Ace foot in motion, soleution (not sure of the spelling) are also OK. Main recommendation is fitflops. Make sure you get proper arch support as flat arches can be a consequence of bunions and they can make you walk badly (arthritis, falls etc).

(Have had bunions plus semi successful bunion operations and a host of other foot problems all my life).

I also recommend the podiatrists at Ace foot in motion (Cardiff so may be a way to travel but I do recommend). They have a shoe shop on site.

You'll probably either need orthotics or shoes with orthotic support such as fitflops in addition to bunion surgery. But maybe you avoid the surgery if you wear arch support and wide shoes from one of the places I mentioned. By the way birkhenstocks aren't the best as they're hard and put strain on knee and hip joints and not supportive.

(The worst shoes of all to wear are, uggs, flip flops (not fitflops) and ballet pumps)

A couple of posters have mentioned that bunion surgery can be semi-successful/should be avoided if possible and and I would second that.

Obviously it's successful for some people but my experience is that I still have pain in my operated foot and I definitely have reduced flexibility. It is not minor surgery nor without risks.

The success I've had using orthotics with my other, unoperated bunion has been more transformational, successful at stopping the pain and without any of the downsides. The orthotic goes in everything from my summer Cons to my winter wellies. I've gone from dawdling along in pain to being able to walk and run easily.

My orthotics are the first thing I'd grab if the house was on fire. Honestly.

Shoe brands I find helpful - Josef Seibl, Reiker, Moshulu (but have to be careful to buy wider fitting styles).

I had surgery to remove bunions last summer. So pleased I did, have you considered getting yours removed?
Before that I used to wear sketchers or Next do wide fitting boots/shoes and they have a range called comfort wear that are good.

By the time my husband went, he said it was making him depressed, he could barely walk (he's normally a fit 33 year old). They then revered him straight away.

I'd go to a different Dr and push!

@Annfr - it's literally taken me months to get an appointment with any GPat my local surgery. Unless it's same day urgent, they're booked up for the following three weeks (and won't take bookings beyond that). So you have to phone every Tuesday when appointments are released to see if there's anything going for the next three weeks

The 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.

My experience is that this is their default option. I got a lot of, 'Are you just doing this because you want to wear high heels'. No I flipping don't, I just want to be able to walk without pain.

A podiatrist appointment, the orthotics and a follow up appointment cost me less than £200 in total. If you can possibly afford it and bear to, it might really save you a lot of pain and hassle. The podiatrist resolved my problem better than surgery.

Thank you so much, @BunnyBettChetwynnd - ie your comment that the dismissive attitude of the GP was fairly typical in your experience. I was a bit 'WTF' at his pronounced disinterest and boredom - then afterwards actually quite angry

Went to Decathlon to try on men's trainers etc. They were a bit big as they start at a 6 (and I'm a 5). But as they were quite rigid width wise they were uncomfortable. A helpful assistant said that in surveys undertaken by manufacturers men polled were looking for stronger more robust shoes whereas women polled were looking more for flexibility. Reflected in the manufacture of what the gad in stock. Anyhow, upshot was that assistant found me a pair of woman's casual walks g shoes with just stretchy unstructured fabric by the big toe joint 👍

Have a look at the Fitflop range, recommended by Podiatrists.

Thanks, @Annfr . I decided to go to a different doctor and push!

So submitted an eConsult to GP practice (no appointments available unless urgent) with pictures, full details etc. Requesting it to go to Dr X (my regular doctor).

Response? We will refer you back to dismissive doctor as he saw you in person (the one who wouldn't examine my feet)

Just a quick update: I was unable to find shoes to accommodate bunions (other than a pair of stretch canvas shoes from Decathlon). Sole Bliss sadly were my most expensive mistake of 2023 😔.

The good news: I put in a quasi complaint to GPs surgery about the dismissive attitude of the GP and asked again for a referral to Podiatric Surgery, which was done. Two days letter, got a call from the hospital and an appointment was scheduled. X-rays were done, I saw the consultant and a date for surgery given.

i was so surprised given the casual disinterest by the GP. Consultant said the deformity was quite severe and the main risk of surgery was a small risk of recurrence. It's a long period for full recovery but I'm thrilled to be having the surgery.

And am so glad I didn't just give up and accept painful feet at the first pushback from the GP

Other shoes... Hoka mens trainers come in 2e or 4e and also have a rocker sole which my podiatrist recommends.. very comfy
For walking shoes .. meindl Philadelphia waterproof have large and deep toebox..
Keen esp targee model
Walking boots Alt-berg really well made ...

Great update op. My bunion surgery has been life changing. Well worth the 6 weeks recovery. Good luck!

Thank you!!

I've been told 3 -6 months before resuming sports - so am being ultra conservative and allotting 6 months out of full action.

i can't believe I started this thread in the hunt for shoes that would accommodate my bunions but now am having surgery

I'll be having the other foot done in due course

Am v glad the surgery has been so successful for you

Yes, I was told 6 months before doing any running. But the two things that I was told were v v v important were 1) it's about the only surgery where feet up and doing nothing for 6 weeks is considered essential advice. After most surgeries, advice is usually to start moving about as quickly as possible) and 2) try to push your toe up and down as much as possible to ensure it doesn't 'set' with poor range. Both of these pieces of advice from the doctor were invaluable. He's one of the leading foot surgeons in the country, works on ballerinas, premier league footballers etc . His advice really made my recovery as quick and successful as possible. Good luck!

Altras. Really wide toe box. They are the only ones that accommodate my bunions.