Bunion Splints: Reasons Why You Need to Have Them

Bunions can take away the joy in your life, especially when they get too painful. A bunion is a joint condition that often forms as a bony bump based on your big toe. You have a bunion because of heredity, or perhaps because you are fond of wearing narrow and tight shoes.

A bunion can be really painful, and you have to act before it gets too late. For sure, you don't want to undergo a bloody and expensive surgery just to remove your bunion. The good news is that there are insoles and splints you can use to avoid going under the knife. You can buy them easily online, so let’s see the high-quality bunion splints Amazon has in store for you.

Everything About Bunions

A bunion is a bulging bump at the base of your big toe, which forms when some of the bones in the frontal area of your foot change their places. This causes the top of your big toe to lean toward the smaller toes; such a condition forces the joint at your big toe to be out of place. Once the bunion forms, the skin over it might turn red indicating pain and soreness.

The causes of a bunion formation are related to heredity, foot injuries, arthritis, and deformities at birth. Experts are still divided about whether bunions are related to footwear. However, the consistent wearing of high heels and ill-fitting shoes may increase the risk of bunions.

Having a bunion makes you susceptible to certain foot complications that include hammertoe, metatarsalgia, and bursitis. To better understand the nature of your foot condition, if ever you have one, you may visit a podiatrist—a doctor specializing in feet—to give you the right prescription.

You can also use wide-toed footwear that allows your toes to have the necessary space to avoid the formation of bunions. You may also use insoles or splints that are available in stores nationwide.

What You Need to Know About Bunion Splints

Do bunion splints work? Are they effective? These are the common questions you might have in mind right now.

Using bunion splints can be your initial remedy to the pain and discomfort caused by a bunion. However, they cannot cure or even fix a bunion. They can only aid in correcting the position of your big toe and ease the pain. Bunion splints can also realign the bone at the joint at the base of your toe, preventing the advancement of bunions.

Bunion splints are categorized into three types:

• Hard splints are typically made of plastic. The plastic is placed outside your big toe and realigns it. You can strap and wrap the splint around your foot to secure it in place.
• Gel splints are made from gel-like silicone. These splints separate the big toe from the smaller ones. They have an attached protector that goes outside of your big toe. This protector prevents the painful contact of your big toe to the insides of your shoes.
• Braces are made from soft and light fabric. Such splints usually come with plastic or metal strips inside that help realign your toe. These braces are easy to use and adjustable.

They also have different pad styles such as:

• A cushion that is commonly attached to the sole of your shoe. Some others are used directly on the feet.
• Sleeves that can be worn without socks and that fit around your big toe with the aid of a strap around the middle of your foot.
• Gels pads that offer a protective divider between your bunion and shoe. These pads reduce irritation and pain.

Bunion splints are available in different sizes. There are generic ones that are manufactured to fit all feet and shoe sizes, while some bunion splints are customized and designed to correct certain foot conditions. Splints are also available in small, medium, and large sizes. You can always select between buying a generic splint or consulting a podiatrist for a more specialized tool.

To ensure that you purchase the best bunion splints, you have to know if they are adjustable. The brace-type bunion splints are easy to adjust. You’ll want splints that will give you comfort to ease the pain and discomfort from your bunion, so splints that are fabricated with gel and fabric will give you the most comfortable experience.

Aside from comfort, you’ll have to consider the severity of your foot condition. If you have a severe case, a harder bunion splint will work best before you consider undergoing surgery. Again, remember that bunion splints don’t actually cure bunions—if your bunion is already formed, then surgery may be the only route left to take.

How long does it take for a bunion splint to correct a certain deformity? It actually depends on the level of the deformity. You can see great results for mild cases of foot deformities for a month or more with the consistent use of bunion splints.

The Best Bunion Splints that Amazon Sells

Amazon is a giant and established e-commerce platform. It offers many products and services. You can absolutely purchase the best bunion splints on the Amazon Marketplace! Here are the top-rated bunion splints that are listed on Amazon:

• Caretras Bunion Corrector, Orthopedic Bunion Splint ($21.99)
• Flyen Corrector & Bunion Relief Protector Sleeves Kit ($12.99)
• Vicorrect Bunion Corrector & Bunion Toe Separators ($18.69)
• Alayna Bunion Corrector and Relief for Big Toe ($9.99)
• Vive Bunion Brace (price depends on size)
• NyPot Bunion Corrector for Women and Men ($21.97)
• Soulern Bunion Splint (price depends on size)
• OS1st Bunion Relief Socks 1-Pair (Price: $18.50)
• PediFix Nighttime Bunion Regulator (Price $17.74)

Some of the bunion splints mentioned on our list have sleeves like the Alayna Bunion Corrector. You have to wear these sleeves slowly and gently to perfectly position the fabric or gel pad over the bunion. Then, place the splint on a flat surface where you can align your foot easily with the splint.

Once you align your foot, you may now wrap the splint around your foot using the straps for the big toe and the rest of the foot. Some tools have extra strap length, which you can cut once you get the correct adjustment.

These are the most in-demand and top-rated bunion splints sold by Amazon. There are so many other bunion splints and correctors available on Amazon, and you can absolutely search for other brands and designs that will address your needs correctly.

Benefits of Bunion Splints

Bunion splints can help maintain happy feet. Here are more benefits of using bunion splints:

• They keep your toes divided for the right spacing.
• They provide relief, especially when you are healing from foot surgery or injuries.
• They keep the proper posture of toes while the bone, tendons, or ligaments heal during rehabilitation.
• They stretch ligaments and tendons for better flexibility.
• They can break scar tissue apart after surgery.
• They improve your foot’s range of motion.

7 Tips for Preventing Bunions from Forming or Worsening

If there is one professional who has the best knowledge in preventing bunions, it is a podiatrist. Bunions should be taken seriously because they can mess up your life big time. Bunion development and worsening can be prevented by applying these seven tips formulated by podiatrists.

1. Wear the correct type of shoes for your feet: It is normal to fit shoes first before you buy them. Another smart move is walking around with the shoes that you are about to purchase. Do not buy shoes if they are uncomfortable to wear because your feet will suffer. Wearing the correct footwear is necessary for preventing bunions.

The best shoes are a bit loose and have a wide toe box, comfortable arch support, and less than 1 to 2 inches of heel. Keep in mind that shoes with ties are better than slip-ons because the laces prevent your foot from bumping into the toe cap each time you step.

2. Buy shoes in the evening: If you have busy days, then this tip is perfect for you! Buy shoes at nighttime because your feet are largest during the evening. This happens because feet typically swell during the daytime. The shoes you buy in the daytime may be too tight when evening comes.

3. Wear heels occasionally: If wearing heels is mandated in your workplace, you can opt for substitutes such as wedges, platform shoes, or blocky heels—which are all much better for your feet than stilettos. These substitutes distribute weight equally all over your foot and are less likely to force you onto the balls of your feet.

4. Shoe inserts can help: When you notice that your foot is not aligned properly or you may have flat feet, it is a smart move to use shoe inserts or over-the-counter orthotics inside your footwear. Shoe inserts help your foot align correctly and make sure that it is well-supported. These inserts also distribute weight more evenly on your foot.

5. Maintain a healthy Body Mass Index (BMI): Your weight should be proportionate to your height; maintaining a healthy weight prevents the development of bunions. Your weight is a contributing factor to the condition of your feet. If you are overweight, you put a great deal of pressure on your feet each time you step. This pressure affects the big toe joint, and it can result in inflammation and bunion development.

6. Conduct regular toe exercises: Walking gives good benefits to your feet and your whole body in general, except for your toes. In order to keep your toes healthy and flexible, you do toe exercises that slow down or even prevent the development of bunions. Some of the exercises that you can do are:

• Toe points and curls for 20 reps and 2 or 3 sets.
• Toe spread outs 10 to 20 times on each foot.
• Toe circles for 20 circles clockwise and 20 counter clockwise. Do this exercise for 2 to 3 sets.
• Assisted toe abduction with bands for 20 reps; each rep should last for 5 seconds.
• Ball rolls for 3 to 5 minute on each foot.
• Towel grip and pull for 5 minutes.
• Marble pickups with 10 to 20 marbles.
• Figure eight rotations for 10 reps and 2 to 3 sets.
• Heel raises 10 times on each foot, taking at least 5 seconds for each rep.

7. Always take good care of your feet: Your feet deserve to be pampered. After a long and busy day, you can treat your feet by soaking them in warm water with diluted Epsom salt. After that, you can massage them with a moisturizing lotion. Then, let them rest.

Final Thoughts

Bunion splints are perfect for mild bunions and other foot deformities in their early stages. If you notice an unusual bump already progressing on your big toe which causes you pain and discomfort, do not hesitate to buy bunion splints and correctors.

In case your bunion has been developing for quite some time, we urge you to seek a podiatrist to find the best measures to improve your foot health.

Always remember, bunion splints are available on Amazon and in other stores in your area. If you don’t want to spend money, there are also ways on how to make a bunion splint at home. You can improvise using a stretchable band. A hairband can work: all you need to do is wrap the band around your big toes and pull on them. Do this routine for ten minutes or more. However, we do recommend purchasing a bunion splint for affordable prices on Amazon.

If you care a lot for your feet, do not hesitate to take action once you feel pain and notice the progression of any foot deformities. Get the bunion splints that work for you, and say goodbye to pain and foot deformation!