On a normal day in your life, you can do any activity with ease and comfort, no matter how difficult and strenuous it is. But when bunions appear, life will never be the same again. You will always have to consider if the activity will cause you pain and, based on your assessment, halt the exciting activity or slow down a bit.
Keep yourself from experiencing a situation where you have to sacrifice living your life to the fullest.
This article will discuss how bunion pads and other products from seven trusted brands relieve the pains of bunions or even correct the condition. Let us begin!
Bunions and How Pads Relieve Them
What are bunions?
Bunions occur when the big toe bone moves toward the other toes while the first metatarsal bone moves outward. A bony hump then appears in the metatarsophalangeal joint (the joint connecting the big toe bone and the first metatarsal bone) in this abnormal alignment.
What are bunion pads?
As the big toe continues to move toward the other toes, the bony hump increases in size to the point of swelling and pain when it hits the shoes. Bunion pads protect the bony hump from pressure and pain regardless of your actions.
How to use bunion pads
Bunion pads have different types: pads placed on the bony hump or on the shoe or pads worn through sleeves and correctors. To use these products, make sure to position the cushions on the bunion for protection. You may choose reusable pads or disposable ones.
Where to buy bunion pads?
You can buy bunion pads over the counter and online, although doctors may prescribe specific correctors to ease your condition for severe cases. We’ll dive into the details of the brands you can trust and the other bunion corrective and protective products in the next sections.
Bunion Pads: Walgreens Plus 6 Other Trusted Brands to Use
These featured brands provide bunion pads, but they also offer a wide range of products that ensure overall foot health because of their experience and knowledge of customer foot problems. Walgreens, Dr. Scholl’s, Zentoes, Copper Compression, Doctor’s Choice, Welnove, and NatraCure should be on top of your list for your bunion and general foot care.
Walgreens
You’ll find all sorts of products for foot care for people of different ages on Walgreens’ website. Some of the foot conditions Walgreens’ products address are the following:
- Foot blisters
- Bunion
- Hammertoe
- Corn and callus
- Allergies
They also have products for foot wellness, treatment, pedicure, and manicure.
When it comes to bunion pads, Walgreens has disposable bunion cushions, which you will attach to the bony hump of your bunion through an adhesive on the cushion. Each pack has six pieces, so if you need bunion protection daily, you’ll have to buy a couple of packs to keep you supplied.
Dr. Scholl’s
Another brand you won’t miss when looking for products that will ease bunion pains is Dr. Scholl’s. Their products address the following conditions:
- Flat feet
- Heel and foot pain
- Plantar fasciitis
- Corn and callus
- Athlete’s foot
- Blisters
- Achilles tendinitis
- Hip, leg, and knee pain
When it comes to bunion pads, they have two flagship products: standard bunion cushions and bunion cushions with Duragel. Both versions provide cushioning to the bunion, so your bunion has protection before you wear your socks and shoes. The Duragel version is clear and almost invisible, so you can wear open shoes with them.
Zentoes
Search for bunion pads online, and you’ll surely bump into the Zentoes brand. From protectors, correctors, and pads, they have a variety of products for bunion care. Their expertise on foot health allows them to aid you in case you have the following challenges:
- Blisters
- Corn
- Hammertoe
- Misaligned toes
More than bunion cushions, Zentoes built the bunion pads into the toe spacers that they offer. As discussed in the previous section, the big toe moves closer to the other toes, forming a bony hump when the bunion progresses. The toe spacer allows the correction of the big toe position while the guards serve as the bunion protection.
Copper Compression
If you are an athlete or you have an active lifestyle, you will love Copper Compression, a one-stop shop for different supportive items for your hands, arms, legs, back, and feet. With a wide range of products, this brand can help you address the following foot issues:
- Arch and ankle pain
- Plantar fasciitis
- Metatarsalgia
- Knee and leg pain
For bunions, Copper Compression has bunion sleeves and correctors that have built-in padding to protect the bony hump. At the same time, their design aids in correcting the big toe’s position. You can also try the bunion corrector kit to get a sleeve and a splint that promise correction with months of continuous use.
Doctor’s Choice
If you have the following conditions, you can check Doctor’s Choice products to check which ones are appropriate to help you:
- Diabetes
- Neuropathy
- Sore toes
- Blisters
- Bunions
- Postoperative support
- Foot pains brought by other health conditions
Doctor’s Choice socks are one of the few product designs you’ll see for bunion pads. The socks have split toes to provide a division between the big toe and the other toes. Doctor’s Choice has also added extra cushioning to the bunion area. The best part about these socks is that they are easy to wear and you can keep them on throughout the day.
Welnove
Your toes and feet are in safe hands if you choose Welnove products because they specialize in manufacturing toe separators, toe caps, toe shields, and heel protectors. Their products will help you address the following concerns:
- Corns and callus
- Heel pain
- Big toe
- Bunion
- Bunionette
When it comes to bunion pads, protection, and correction, Welnove has different designs of toe separators. Some have rings for all the toes to keep them separated, while some focus on the division between the big toe or the small toe and the other toes.
If your bunions already have a prominent bony hump, you can use the separators with bunion shields to provide padding to your bunion.
NatraCure
NatraCure prides itself on its dedication to providing solutions for different foot problems, and they put this into action through their products that address these conditions:
- Big toe
- Plantar fasciitis
- Corn and callus
- Foot arch and heel pain
- Achilles tendonitis
- Metatarsalgia
They also have cold and hot compression for the feet to help you relax after a long and tiring day.
You can choose between bunion protection and correction or try all their bunion products: sleeves, toe separators, shields, and pads. Since bunion correction success depends on product use consistency, you can alternate between NatraCure products for the whole day.
3 Best Solutions for Bunions
With all those brands and the products they offer, you must be wondering, “What are the best bunion pads?” The answer depends on the bunion stage you are in and your needs. Some products are best for minor bunions, while others are fit for advanced bunions that highly need correction.
We’ll discuss the three types of bunion products you’ll encounter and the best time and situations to use them.
1. Protector and pads
If you are at a stage when your bunions already have a slight or noticeable bone protrusion, using pads and bunion protectors will be helpful.
As we have discussed earlier, adhesive-type pads are an option, and you only need to stick them to the bunion. However, if you also want to separate the big toe from the other toes and eventually permanently set them apart, you can use bunion protectors with toe separators. Again, the product choice is dependent on your goal.
2. Sleeves
Now, if your goal is both bunion protection and toe separation, you can achieve these by wearing bunion sleeves. Some bunion sleeves have separators for each toe, while others only separate the big toe from the other toes. Both aim to move the big toe to its original position.
In addition, you will find the bunion padding on the bunion sides for protection from shoe bumps when moving. These sleeves are as convenient to use as the toe separators, and they hit two birds with one stone—bunion protection and toe separation.
3. Correctors and splints
Correctors and splints must be the best thing for bunions. These products promise that you will see a correction after a few months of consistent use, so if correction of toe positions is your goal, this is the item for you.
However, you have to consider that splints and correctors are not the most convenient products to use because they are bulky. Some varieties require a metal insertion on the bunion side to ensure non-movement of the big toe to the other toes, which can be painful. However, as the adage goes, “No pain, no gain.” You’ll be the judge if, after months of use, your foot condition is better.
Final Thoughts
All the products and brands featured in this article aim for one thing—making your foot health excellent so that you can perform your daily activities and even challenging footwork effortlessly.
If you have developed bunions because of heredity or injury, check out the best products for bunions in the early stages. On the other hand, if you have bunions in the advanced stage, do not lose hope: correctors and splints can still make your goal of having pain-free feet happen.
What is essential is you have the proper knowledge of bunions and how to correct them. With this, picking the best product will be much easier.
August 2, 2022
