How to Prevent Bunions or Keep Them From Getting Worse

Plus How to Cope With Symptoms

Bunions can become so painful that wearing shoes or even walking is difficult. Bunions can be prevented, but once they develop they can’t be reversed. Surgery may be required to get rid of a bunion completely, but prevention methods and treatment are also vital to help manage symptoms and stop a bunion from forming or getting worse.

This article will cover how to prevent bunions from forming, how to monitor for bunions, and how to prevent bunions from getting worse, as well as which devices will help.

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Some people are at increased risk of developing bunions than others. Experts say the risk of developing bunions is greater in those with a family history of bunions and in people who commonly experience repetitive microtraumas from wearing overly tight and constricting shoes. Bunions can happen to anyone, though. Here are some ways of preventing bunions from forming:

Bunions can develop as people age, especially those who wear high heels or narrow-toed shoes or those whose feet expand naturally with age.

By examining your feet for changes, especially as you age, you may notice signs of swelling or redness on the toe joint, which could indicate the beginning of a bunion. At this point, you should attempt to prevent the bunion from getting worse.

Monitor your feet for signs of:

Signs of a bunion include:

Bunions start small and gradually worsen with repeated friction and pressure on the toe joint. This means preventing bunions from worsening comes down to relieving toe joint pressure and making changes to prevent bunion growth.

Ways of preventing bunions from getting worse include:

A worsening bunion can lead to bursitis, which is inflammation of the bursa sac, around the toe joint, chronic pain, and arthritis.

There are a few treatment methods geared at straightening bunions naturally or with custom orthotics and other devices.

These products, which include shoe inserts, toe spacers, and splints, help relieve bunion-related pain. Inserts can be worn with shoes and during your everyday activities, whereas spacers and splints are often worn in the evening or while sleeping. Your foot doctor (podiatrist) may tell you to wear a splint at night, for example, to help reduce morning stiffness and pain.

Braces and splints help with bunion symptoms. However, braces and splints have not been shown to correct, permanently fix, or reverse bunions.

Most people will find bunion symptom relief from the methods such as avoiding too-tight shoes, taking anti-inflammatory medications, and using ice packs or shoe pad inserts to relieve pressure. Other people, though, may need surgery.

Many types of surgery are available to correct bunions so you can walk well again. Bunion surgery typically involves realigning or repositioning the toe bone, nerves, ligaments, and tendons in order to bring the big toe back to its correct position.

Your healthcare provider will discuss the pros and cons of surgery for bunion removal, including what the recovery process is like, so you can determine if it's the best next step for you.

Bunions are painful and can be debilitating, but there are ways to prevent them from occurring or from getting worse. Some people have a genetic predisposition toward developing bunions, while others can get them from wearing shoes with too narrow of a toe box. Wearing shoes that have enough toe room and support can help.

If you have a bunion, you can prevent it from getting worse by switching shoes, resting your feet, using ice packs, taking anti-inflammatory medications, and wearing supportive devices like bunion pads. Splints and braces have not been shown to correct alignment, although surgery can help in cases of painful bunions.

Harvard Health. What to do about bunions?

Monroe Foot and Ankle Care. Here’s how you can prevent bunions.

American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS). Bunions.

UCLA Health. Coping with the changes your feet undergo as you age.

Podiatry Associates of Indiana. Treating your bunions.

By Michelle PugleMichelle Pugle, MA, MHFA is a freelance health writer as seen in Healthline, Health, Everyday Health, Psych Central, and Verywell.