slightly OT - how can i resolve a bunion?

[Genevieve M]

I had no idea that bunions could be so uncomfortable. Can I resolve this with a splint, or something like yoga toes? What else has worked or been helpful?

Thanks for any info you can give.

[lila_says]

Bunion splints (that's what they're called) that are worn overnight can be helpful. They actually feel fairly nice as they're stretching out your foot. I've included a couple of links so that you get an idea of what you're looking for. HTH

https://www.google.ca/search?q=bunio...w=1280&bih=880

http://www.walmart.com/ip/Goodnight-...plint/17324931

[Daffie]

I used to have pretty severe pain in my bunion. I looked into having surgery but couldn't afford to be off work for 6 weeks. Mine feels so much better since going to the chiropractor. Now that my hips are aligned it doesn't put stress on it. It's still hard to find shoes but the the constant pain is gone.
~~Debbie~~

[Harantwanders]

Mine is better since I don't travel constantly for work anymore, which used to put pressure on the toes because I always had my foot pressed at an angle on the gas or the brake. It sometimes gets bad now because I am walking so much but it is much better. I have no desire to have surgery, which is, in my opinion the only way to permanently fix it. A little plastic thing I get at the drugstore that goes in between the big toe and the first toe help align the toes and take pressure off the bunion, but I keep losing those little plastic things.

[yogapam]

These might help: http://www.amazon.com/Toe-Spreading-.../dp/B004VKZAGO
I have yoga toes too and I love them, try to wear them for an hour or so in the evening.

[PrairieGem]

Originally Posted by Daffie

I used to have pretty severe pain in my bunion. I looked into having surgery but couldn't afford to be off work for 6 weeks. Mine feels so much better since going to the chiropractor. Now that my hips are aligned it doesn't put stress on it. It's still hard to find shoes but the the constant pain is gone.
~~Debbie~~

Wow--that's fascinating! I have a bad "bunionette" (pinky-toe bunion) on one foot, and I *also* have hip issues. I'm getting ready to see the chiro for the first time in 15 years--it will be interesting to see if that helps.

Like the others have said, I've read that surgery is really the only way to permanently fix bunions--it's a deformation in the way the bone (which is constantly growing) forms, and it can be hereditary.

[Jennifer R]

I got bunions on both feet in my early 40s--this was in 1994-95. I tried everything I could think of to help the pain but ultimately surgery was the only thing that helped. I was lucky and had an expert podiatrist who did minimally invasive but at the same time complex surgery on both feet as an outpatient. I eventually got complete relief from the bunion pain.

I was seeing a chiropractor regularly, which helped some, but to this day I still have imbalances which show up in my shoe wear patterns. A recent CT scan showed lumbar scoliosis, which has probably contributed to my problems all my life.

I never wore high heels or constrictive shoes and have exercised all my life. I agree with PrairieGem, either you're going to get them or you won't, it's genetic. Although nobody else in my family had them, go figure.

[starbelly]

Katy Bowman's book [I]Every Woman's Guide to Foot pain Relief[I] provides a lot of great information about how to take care of your feet. According to her, you can be genetically predisposed to bunions, but that does not mean that you will get them. She advises flat shoes and different stretches to align your body properly. I have had a growing bunion for years and wearing Vibram FiveFingers really helps to align my feet and relieve the pain. My big toe was rolling inwards and that has been corrected in the space of a few months. It's an interesting read. http://www.amazon.com/Every-Womans-G...ds=katy+bowman