People With Bunions Need These Comfy, Podiatrist-Approved Shoes

We updated this article in November 2022 to add more information about each featured product, based on extensive research done by our team.

If you have bunions, you know the pain at the base of your big toe can be impossible to ignore. Wearing shoes that are even just the slightest bit too tight or made from a stiff material can be enough to cause total agony.

Bunions can be brought on by a variety of factors, including genetics, inflammatory joint diseases, foot injuries, and arthritis. According to the Cleveland Clinic, bunions form when the bone or tissue at the bottom of the big toe moves out of place. Abnormal movements and heavy pressure on the joint forces the big toe to bend toward the other toes, causing a lump to develop on the joint. Wearing shoes that irritate bunions won’t just make them hurt more, but they can also cause other problems, including blisters and bursitis.

“Feet, by design, are not padded with a lot of extra fat,” says Howard Friedman, D.P.M., a podiatrist at Suffern Podiatry in New York. “So, if someone wears a shoe that is creating a pressure point over a bony area, the skin will become red and inflamed, and in some cases cause a blister or wound that can become infected.”

So, while you may be tempted to keep wearing your favorite kicks, you should take anything that irritates your feet out of rotation and replace them with something that’s more supportive and comfortable.

Meet the Experts: Howard Friedman, D.P.M., is a podiatrist at Suffern Podiatry in New York. Karen Langone, D.P.M., is a podiatrist based in Southampton, New York. Matt Gooch, M.S., C.Ped, is the director of product and innovation with Superfeet Worldwide, Inc. Paul Langer, D.P.M., is a sports medicine podiatrist who trains athletes at Twin Cities Orthopedics in Minneapolis, Minnesota and is a SuperFeet wellness panel member.

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