If you have ever looked down at your feet and noticed your big toe starting to lean a little too close to its neighbors, you might be seeing the early signs of a bunion. While genetics play a huge role in the shape of your feet, your daily habits can either protect your alignment or speed up a deformity like a bunion or hammertoe.
The good news is that you have a lot of control over your foot health. Here are five essential dos and don’ts to help you prevent foot deformities from our expert, Stavros O. Alexopoulos, DPM.
1. DO Choose Shoes with a Wide Toe Box
Your toes need room to splay naturally when you walk. If you constantly squeeze them into narrow, pointed shoes, you are essentially training your big toe to drift inward. Look for footwear that allows you to wiggle your toes freely. A wide toe box reduces the lateral pressure on your joints, which is the number one way to prevent a bunion from forming or worsening.
2. DON’T Spend All Day in High Heels
High heels are the primary enemy of foot alignment. When you wear heels, your body weight is shifted forward onto the ball of your foot, forcing your toes into the narrowest part of the shoe.
This position puts pressure on the big toe joint and encourages the tendons in your smaller toes to contract, which leads to hammertoes. If you must wear heels, try to limit them to special occasions and stick to a lower, more stable height.
3. DO Strengthen Your Foot Muscles
Just like any other part of your body, your feet benefit from exercise. Strengthening the small muscles in your arches and toes helps maintain the structural integrity of your foot.
Try simple exercises like picking up marbles with your toes or spreading your toes as wide as you can while sitting at your desk. These movements help counteract the tightening that happens when you wear shoes all day.
4. DON’T Ignore Changes in Your Foot Shape
Deformities like bunions and hammertoes don’t happen overnight. They are progressive, meaning they get worse over time if they aren’t addressed. If you notice a new bump, persistent redness, or a toe that seems to be curling under, don’t wait for it to become painful.
5. DO Use Custom Orthotics if Necessary
If you have flat feet or low arches, your feet tend to roll inward as you walk. This overpronation puts extra stress on the big toe joint, which is a major contributing factor to bunion development.
Using high-quality arch support or a custom orthotic can help realign your foot and take the pressure off your sensitive joints.
For any questions about foot health and wellness, reach out to the tenured staff at My Chicago Foot Expert by calling (773) 561-8100 or by clicking here to schedule an appointment with Cook County podiatrist Stavros O. Alexopoulos, DPM, in our new, comfortable Chicago office, located at 5015 N Paulina Street, Suite #217.