Better Living Through Bunion Relief

Your big toe is pointing inward, toward your other toes and has a big, painful bump at the base. What gives? Probably not your shoes. High-heeled, pointy-toed shoes are often to blame when this condition— a bunion—develops.

While surgery is sometimes necessary, most women can prevent or relieve bunions with self-care:

• Avoid shoes made of hard patent leather, plastic, or vinyl. Buy low-heeled shoes with roomy, square or rounded toes, and uppers made of soft leather, spandex, or neoprene.
• Choose over-the-counter treatments wisely. A toe spacer between the big toe and second toe may help. A ball-and-ring shoe stretcher is a good buy. It reshapes your shoe to accommodate a bunion.

Foot and Ankle Clinics, Vol. 10, No. 1