Should You Wear Peluvas If You Have Bunions? YES!

A bunion is one of the most common foot maladies, characterized by a shift in the anatomical positioning of the big toe driven by the unrelenting pressure and constriction of modern shoes. Over time, the big toe starts to point more toward the other toes rather than straight ahead, and a bony bump–the bunion, aka hallux valgus–forms at the base of the big toe joint on the inside edge of the foot. The bunion is essentially a positional deformity of the first metatarsal and the big toe, with secondary bone remodeling at the joint. The visual bump is the head of the metatarsal out of position along with some localized inflammation of the surrounding soft tissue. 

This bony bump sticks out beyond the standard outline of the foot. Hence, the bunion will typically rub against the upper construction of your shoes, causing irritation and worsening of the bunion over time. Typical issues include pain, swelling, and redness at the joint. The discomfort caused by the bunion can cause alterations in your footstrike and gait pattern. This can lead to issues in your ankles, knees, hips and lower back, as well as further deformation of the foot. 

The typical perception of bunions is that they just happen over time (35% of people over 65 have bunions), and there is nothing one can do to prevent or cure them. This is not true. Bunions are largely driven by the repetitive trauma caused by modern footwear. This is evidenced by the data that women are twice as likely to develop bunions than men, because many of their fashion shoes cause more extreme restriction than men’s shoes. 

With the correct approach, you can actually slow and even reverse your bunions without surgery, by correcting the underlying cause that is restrictive shoes (there are some genetic predispositions too.) Here are some tips:

1. Get some Peluvas!: Peluvas allow your feet to relax and realign into their natural position. Even if you currently have a tender, inflamed, protruding bunion, it will push against soft upper material with minimal annoyance. You must immediately stop wearing shoes that aggravate the bunion. If you are concerned about workplace dress code, get a doctor’s permission note for alternative footwear. 

2. Build foot strength and mobility: Spend a few minutes each day doing some simple foot mobility exercises. You can learn a protocol in our free eBook, The Definitive Guide to a Barefoot and Minimalist Shoe Lifestyle - download at the Peluva.com home page. 

3. Go barefoot, or wear Peluva five-toe socks, around the house as much as possible. Free your feet!

When you follow these tips, you will improve blood flow, strengthen the intrinsic muscles in the area, and encourage natural foot mechanics–instead of flawed mechanics to compensate for bunion pain. Improving your mechanics will result in less compression and shear forces on the bunion. Over time, you can improve the mobility and strength of your big toe joint, to make real progress without invasive surgery.