Choosing shoes that are built to accommodate your foot condition is the best thing that you can do, for your comfort. And that is why you are reading this article on the best shoes for wide feet with bunions.
What are bunions and why are narrow shoes bad for this condition? According to an article on clevelandclinic.org, this lump forms on the first joint of the big toe.
This condition can affect one or both big toes. Some people might also experience bunions under the pinky toe.
In the USA, one in every three Americans has bunions. It is more prevalent in older women.
Bunions can form as a result of too much pressure on the toes, such as from wearing narrow shoes. However, it can also be an inherited condition. If you come from a family with a history of bunions, you are more vulnerable to developing them.
But we digress …
We assume you are reading this because you already have bunions. Therefore, you want to know the best types of shoes that can accommodate your feet with their condition.
Are Wide Shoes Good for Bunions?
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Yes. Bunions increase the surface area of your toe area. Therefore, you want to wear a pair of shoes that is roomy enough to accommodate this width.
Bunions are not painful, at least until you aggravate them. The one way that you can trigger your bunions to hurt is to wear narrow shoes.
Your bunion should not touch the walls of your shoes!
Such shoes create too much pressure on the toes, causing the bunions to start experiencing pain. Your salvation is in wide, roomy shoes.
In the market today, there are shoes for just about any kind of foot condition. For instance, in the past, we ran an article on the best sandals for plantar fasciitis.
We are going to look at a few extra wide shoes for bunions. If you need good walking shoes for bunions, keep reading!
1. Orthofeet Proven Shoes for Bunions and Plantar Fasciitis
Just as their name suggests, Orthofeet is a footwear brand that makes doctor recommended shoes. Therefore, you can expect many good things from the Proven Shoes for Bunions.
Wearing this pair has many benefits. Some of them are as follows:
Enough room all round the toe area
The first and the most obvious benefit is that these shoes are roomy enough in the toe box area. Thus, they will accommodate bunions and hammertoes and still leave room to spare.
Many people suffering from bunions feel the need for a different shoe width size than what they used to wear when they did not have bunions.
However, with these Orthofeet shoes, there is no need to order an extra width. Just order your normal size.
It will be wide enough at the toes to accommodate your feet. It is also roomy enough on the “roof” or all round.
High quality cushioning and support
This is another benefit of wearing these shoes. You can wear them to work all day and you will feel supported and well cushioned. Along with good cushioning, you are also going to enjoy good arch support.
If your bunions are painful, you find that you tend to favor the ball of foot and toe areas when you are walking.
This can strain your arches and heels. This is why you need a pair of shoes with a roomy toe area, arch support and good heel elevation.
Overall, when you have one foot issue, think of the ripple effect. Think of accompanying issues such as knee pain, ankle pain and heel pain. That is why Orthofeet Proven feet have superb cushioning to help with all of these issues.
Ergonomic, breathable and comfortable
When you have bunions, you need to keep your feet dry, cool and comfortable. And the Orthofeet Proven shoes have been constructed with this in mind. They are super breathable, so they allow air movement.
The shoe also has comfortable padding along the ankles. The upper is also stretchable, so when you walk, it will flex in the right places. This sneaker is so ergonomic such that it conforms to your walking style and gait.
The heel seat is designed in such a way that after a few moments of wearing these sneakers, you start to experience relief from your plantar fasciitis pain.
The multi-layer footbed comes with an odor-resistant top layer. If you sweat, the layer prevent the breeding of bacteria which cause foot odor.
These shoes come in a unisex design, so both men and women can wear it and still look awesome.
2. FitVille Extra Wide Walking Shoes for Men
When you have wide feet, you will need an extra wide pair of shoes if you have bunions. After all, your foot is wider at the toe area.
Here are the benefits that you will enjoy from the FitVille Extra Wide shoes:
A spacious toe area
The Fitville Extra Wide walking shoes for men will accommodate your feet with room to spare. It has a high instep design, so it can help people with high arches, plantar fasciitis and other feet issues.
Insole is designed to reduce foot fatigue
When you have foot issues such as hammertoes, bunions and plantar fasciitis, you want to reduce foot fatigue as much as possible.
One benefit of wearing the Fitville Shoes is that they are made with a high quality PropelCore Sole. It gives your feet superior cushioning in the right places such as the arches, heels and ball of foot area.
This in turn reduces foot fatigue, leaving you comfortable even when you stay too long on your feet.
It is a multi-purpose pair of shoes
Sometimes, you just need a pair of shoes that you can wear for different types of activities. With the Fitville Wide shoes, you can wear them for walking, running, jogging and even traveling. You can even wear these shoes for hiking on easy terrain.
Keeps your comfortable throughout the day
The upper of these shoes is made with meshed fabric. They are breathable, allowing air movement in and out of the interior.
Since bunions grow on the joint of the big toe, they can start hurting if your feet sweat and the toes grind against each other. It is so vital to wear shoes that keep your dry, cool and comfortable throughout the day.
If you have been asking: are wide shoes good for bunions? They are the best! All shoes designed for people with bunions are extra wide in the toe box.
Even if you buy sandals, they should be wide enough to accommodate your feet without squeezing the bunions.
3. Orthofeet Proven Men’s Loafer Shoes Carnegie
If you work in a formal environment and there is the need to wear official shoes, you might want to try the Orthofeet Proven Men’s Loafer Shoes.
These are high quality office shoes and they are much more than meets the eye. They have features that are going to benefit your feet.
Here are some of the benefits of wearing this loafer shoe:
Spacious in the toe area for bunions, swollen feet or hammertoes
This leather loafer has a lot of space in the toe box. This is very beneficial to a person with bunions. It is a no-brainer that you need extra width since with a bunion, you need more space around it.
If you have swollen feet, these are the right shoes for you. Of course, with time, your feet do expand, so your shoes should not be too narrow. However, if your feet swell when you stay standing too long, these shoes will help you.
A flare of gout can cause your feet to swell. During such incidents, you need a pair of shoes that can accommodate your feet.
Lightweight and durable
These Orthofeet Carnegie shoes are made of 100 percent leather. They are made in the loafer style, which means putting them and pulling them off is easy work as there are no laces to fiddle with.
They have a minimal weight, which you will hardly feel when you are walking in them. Also, if you have swollen feet, you will definitely appreciate the thick sole they come with as it absorbs most of the impact that comes from walking or running.
The shoes also come with a pair of thin insoles, which you can insert in the shoes for extra support. If your lump bunions are not so big, you can even use a different pair of inserts if you use custom insoles.
Good for sensitive feet
People with diabetes, bunions, hammertoes and gout have sensitive feet. However, the Orthofeet Carnegie men’s shoes offer a good solution for this because they have a nice, soft lining on the interior.
They also have extra padding made of foam to give you superb support and comfort. If you have high arches, they might help you too. Just lock them tighter with the Velcro lock.
People with flat feet will also benefit from these shoes as they can lower the risk of developing plantar fasciitis.
The heel is elevated to help support your natural walking gait and posture. In the interior, the heel bed is comfortable and supportive. If you experience heel pain, you will enjoy almost immediate relief when you wear these shoes.
Best Shoes for Wide Feet with Bunions Buying Guide
Bunions are not painful at first but as they “mature” with time, they will be irritating and might start hurting.
Life does not stop just because your feet have bunions. That is why you need a good pair of shoes to keep you on your feet even if you have large bunions.
Here are a few factors to consider when buying shoes for wide feet with bunions:
Buy according to type – There are sandals for wide feet with bunions, closed shoes as well as sneakers. If you find podiatrist-recommended shoes for bunions, get them. Mostly, shoes for this condition should be wide and roomy at the toe area. Thus, whether you get sandals, sneakers, loafers or official shoes, ensure they have extra width.
Certification – While not all good shoes are certified, before you order, it is best to visit the company website to see whether they have been certified by any authority. For instance, many plantar fasciitis shoes have recognition from the American Podiatric Medical Association.
The upper material – The more breathable a pair of shoes for bunions is, the more comfortable, dry and cool your feet stay. Thus, look for sneaker-style shoes with breathable upper. However, if you need official wear shoes, try leather ones, made specifically for people with bunions.
What you plan to use the shoes for – If you plan to use the shoes for hiking, make sure they are waterproof and have deep treads. If you intend to wear them for jogging, sneakers with wide toe area will do just fine.
Go for thick soles – Most people with bunions also develop other foot issues such as heel pain. This happens when the bunions are hurting as you may tend to favor the toe area more when walking. It exerts undue pressure on the other parts of your feet. Thick soles with support at the ball of foot area, arch and heel are better than thin soles.
Are Wide Shoes Good for Bunions and More FAQ
If you need more clarification about the best shoes for wide feet with bunions, here are the frequently asked questions. They will help clarify matters some more:
Do wide shoes help bunions?
When you have bunions, you need more space because the big toe is bigger and it needs more room. The bunion will not be pressed against the side of the shoe, something that might cause pain.
What brands of shoes are good for bunions?
Orthofeet makes podiatrist-approved shoes for wide feet with bunions. Their shoes are popular because of the extra room at the toe area, the heel and ball of foot area.
Are there any shoes that correct bunions?
No. The jury is still out on this one, but most of the best shoes for feet with bunions offer comfort and relief rather than trying to remove the bunions. They also ensure that the bunions are not too irritating or hurting.
Does walking barefoot help bunions?
It can help because there is no shoe wall that the bunion can touch. However, walking barefoot can lead to overpronation, which will make your case of bunions worse. It is best to wear the recommended wide shoes.
Can you reverse a bunion?
You can stop a bunion with surgery. However, reversing it without surgery is hard because they grow with time, becoming worse and even starting to hurt. You can wear the right shoes to give the bunions enough room.
Final Thoughts: Are There Shoes that Correct Bunions?
Unfortunately, no shoes can correct or reverse bunions. Since this condition is progressive, the bunions grow rapidly. It is best to remove them by surgery.
There are many shoes to help you manage bunions. Orthofeet is one of the top brands, but there are others.
These shoes have extra space at the toe area, they also have great support for the arches and heels. You will be comfortable throughout the day.