“Do bunion correctors work?”
My mom found a bunion on her foot, and actually bought a bunion corrector from Walmart rather than going to the doctor to get treatment for it. Do store-bought bunion correctors actually work, or should I try to convince her to go to the doctor?
19 Answers
If the bunion is painful you should tell her to see a specialist. Many people live with bunions with little to no discomfort and do not need to see a doctor. OTC bunion pads, shields, or splints can benefit a person by padding the bone on the side of the foot. Also they can relieve pressure from the great toe pressing on the 2nd toe. Once the padding/splint is removed the bunion will stay the same. The only way to structurally correct the bunion is surgery with shoe modifications such as orthotics (insoles) to prevent recurrence.
Simple answer - no they do not work.
There is an intrinsic imbalance within your foot's tendons and this has caused the bunion deformity to continue to worsen. The corrector holds it in a more aligned position, but only while it is on, it is not addressing nor correcting the problem. It is important that she sees a podiatrist to get x-rays and make sure nothing else is going on - including advanced osteoarthritis. Best of luck to your mom!
There is an intrinsic imbalance within your foot's tendons and this has caused the bunion deformity to continue to worsen. The corrector holds it in a more aligned position, but only while it is on, it is not addressing nor correcting the problem. It is important that she sees a podiatrist to get x-rays and make sure nothing else is going on - including advanced osteoarthritis. Best of luck to your mom!
Depends on the bunion and the age. If this bunion caused by joint imbalance, then surgery is the way to go since correction involves the joint and tendon. If the bunion is small and not protruding, then a bunion shield will have temporary relief.
Bunion "correctors" do not really work to reverse the deformity. Bunions are biomechanically driven and are a structural change on a bone level. Little gadgets that are advertised as things that will get rid of the bunion are not true. They may help alleviate tension on the tight soft tissues, but they cannot correct the underlying structural problem.
Unfortunately, there is very little evidence that external bracing will correct a bunion deformity. Not dissimilar to the analogy with eyeglasses, the brace only serves to correct while used. Bunions are a most commonly a familial (hereditary) disorder with a tendency to progress. It is a structural instability of bone and joint. Its progression may be limited by adjustment of environmental factors such as footwear and activity, but the ability to restore anatomic alignment can only be achieved with surgery.
They don’t work at all. You can’t realign bone with a splinting device. They are useful after surgery to hold healing soft tissues in place while the foot is healing.
Do you think that if it was as easy as applying a splint for awhile to correct a deformity that thousands of people who get the surgery wouldnt do that first?
Do you think that if it was as easy as applying a splint for awhile to correct a deformity that thousands of people who get the surgery wouldnt do that first?
Hello and thank you for your question. Over the counter bunion correctors do not correct a bunion or hallux valgus. The ‘correctors’ can help bring the joint in a more rectus position in mild flexible bunions which can provide some limited pain relief but it in no way shape or form corrects a bunion. I would advise your mother see a podiatrist if her bunion is causing her significant pain. Good luck and thanks again.
I have done 3,000 bunion corrections, most referred by other patients. In my experience, 95% are satisfied with the results. I did my daughter's 10 years ago and can't tell that she ever had bunions and she's has been pain-free since. She also followed my post-operative instructions perfectly.
Geoffrey Bricker, DPM
Geoffrey Bricker, DPM
Store-bought bunion correction device may help stabilize the big toe joint but it does not help or cure the problem. There are many causes of bunions and a professional advice is the most important thing to help reduce further complications.
Thank you,
Dr. Mark Gorman
Thank you,
Dr. Mark Gorman
Bunion correctors do not actually correct the structural deformity. The issue is whether or not she has pain or trouble fitting shoes, if she does she should be seen.
The bunion correctors or bunion splints work like how eye-glasses work. They only work when you are wearing them. Take them off and your bunion is still there. Encourage her to go see a foot doctor, especially if the bunions are painful.
In answer to your question, bunion correctors only give the appearance of correction but do actually nothing to correct the bunion deformity which is a structural bone and joint problem. If you feel better with a bunion corrector, that’s fine, but please don’t delude yourself into thinking that it is accomplishing anything more than giving possibly some temporary relief and a better cosmetic appearance. Once you stop using the bunion corrector, the toe will revert back to its original position. I highly recommend that you go to a board certified Podiatric physician and have a weight-bearing X-ray taken so that you can see the actual position of the large toe joint. Then appropriate treatment can be discussed and rendered.
Dr. Frank Kase
Dr. Frank Kase
They do not work. They may help symptoms, but cannot cure the problem which is a bone deformity. The correctors only manipulate the soft tissue.
Ahmad Farah, DPM
Ahmad Farah, DPM
Bunion correctors cannot change the structural deformity that accompanies these bunions. Only surgery can correct the deformity.
Rod Tomczak, MD, EdD
Rod Tomczak, MD, EdD
I'm sorry to say that Mom has wasted her money. The best ways to deal with the pain while "waiting to go to your podiatrist" are changes in shoes, get her shoes that she really likes and refuses not to wear stretched, silicon bunion shields on Amazon. Custom orthotics can help minimize the motion of the foot inside the shoe, essentially stop the rubbing, but they won't reverse a bunion deformity. Once you have a bunion, it's not going away without surgery.
I have not seen them work. There are a few physicians who say inserts will correct it. I did have a patient tell me her chiropractor reduced her bunion. If it is painful then yes I would see a doctor. If it does not hurt then wait and see if it does become painful.
No. They will only have an effect while you wear them, if you wear them.
A Bunion develops due to a muscle imbalance in the foot. The bunion is actually a shifting of the metatarsal bone. The "bunion corrector" will not address the deformity, just separate the great toe from the 2nd toe. I recommend you have your mom be evaluated by a foot and ankle surgeon (podiatrist) to discuss causes and treatment options
Now, actually, it depends on what you actually mean by 'bunion.' Many of my patients call corns or calluses bunions, and from your sentence, 'my mom FOUND a bunion on her foot, that is what it sounds like you mean.' But an actual bunion is a boney structural deformity and the only way to fix it or correct it is with surgery. The 'bunion correctors' do not work-they are a gimmick. If you are talking about corns and calluses, the over-the-counter treatments often have acid which can eat a hole in your skin and lead to infections and even amputations. It seems it would be in your mother's best-interest to go see a Podiatrist
