Straightened my bunions

Sid

Barefooters
Jan 1, 2011
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Florida
I posted the following in another thread, and TJ asked me to post it here as well.
http://www.thebarefootrunners.org/index.php?posts/147995
I don't have Morton's Neuroma. I did have bunions, but I've managed to straighten them after 3 years of stretching and exercises. In the process, I've restored some of the natural spacing between the toes. (The bunion bumps and bursal sacs remain, but I'm hoping that they might improve after a few more years.)

I'm no foot expert, but I've learned a lot from other people's experiences, so I'm sharing mine. After all, isn't that what forums are for?

I have tried Yoga Toes. They were pretty tight at first, and offer a light stretch now. I got to the point where I could sleep with them at night, but ended up kicking them off when they became uncomfortable. They also woke me up whenever I moved my feet under the sheets, as the rubber sticks to the sheets. I think that the manufacturer doesn't recommend them overnight, because as far as I can tell from diagrams, the blood vessels and nerves run between the toes. If the circulation is cut off and someone doesn't kick them off, they could wake up with gangrenous toes!

I have not tried Correct Toes, but I have tried similar individually sold spacers. They don't stay in place without socks and shoes. I slowly worked up to the point where I'd have 2-3 between the toes 1-4. I did not intend to increase the spacing between all of my toes, but had to add more spacers to the rest of the toes, while my big toes were straightening out. If I only put spacers between my 1st and 2nd toes, my big toes would have pushed the smaller toes off to the side, making them crooked!

Improving the flexibility using the spacers was only the first step. After that, I worked on further stretching manually and strengthing the muscles. I tried splaying my toes as much as possible. I wasn't able to do much as first, but after many months and more stretching, I was able to strengthen the abductor hallucis, so now I can at least abduct the big toes into a straight position.

I also noticed that my left foot which had the more severe bunion was narrower and had less muscle tone than the right foot. After straightening out the bunion, my left foot is now widening out more and starting to catch up in development.

I also noticed that I was able to put more weight on my right big toe than the left one. I noticed when I tried to do a releve to demi-pointe that the big toe on the left would collapse towards the smaller toes. It seemed that the muscles were still a bit weak, so I still work on this trying to keep the big toe splayed.

I also take calcium supplements, and have done so since a professor suggested it to everyone in class years ago for general health. He taught the medical students, too. So, I took him at his word. I don't know if it reduces the risk of fractures or not.

Lastly, I've been doing some gravel training recently. Probably not good for those with MN, but I feel that it's helped with flexibility. After all, one needs to land softly with flexible feet on gravel. I think that part of why Ken Bob recommends starting with gravel.

This is all still a work in progress, but I no longer need to wear the toe spacers or Yoga Toes. I do wear a bunion splint at night to keep the big toes straight. Incidentally, they are the same bunion splints that I used before I started this process. Only now, I have them set at the fully straight setting, rather than mostly crooked!
 
www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000KI24TW

I'd have to say that this 3 year endeavor involved a lot of trial and error. For me, it seems that ultimately strengthening the muscles was key. However, I couldn't engage abductor hallucis until the toe was mostly straight from splinting, spacing, stretching, and massaging.

Also, in the beginning, I couldn't tolerate having the splints on all night.
 
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Thanks Sid, that's much the same as one I was looking at here. I'll get her started with exercises and order something to help.
I found that the blue strap tended to bite into my skin, so I folded a paper towel over it several times, which helped immensely.
I have them adjusted for a gentle stretch, so I can sleep through the night. Having them too tight would to cut off my circulation.
 
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I also have a bunion and cant use the yoga toes because my feet are too small. When it gets painful I use leukotape to pull the big toe back into place (there are somegood videos on youtube that show how to tape a bunion for correction. The nice thing about Leukotape is that it is pretty stiff and waterproof. I sometimes use it to prevent hotspots while running and used it to tape my bunion on my hundred miler which didnt give me any problems at all. I too have noticed my bunion seems to bother me less the more I go barefoot and train barefoot. Strengthening the foot has really helped since I used to be a serious pronator.
 
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The video makes me wonder if cutting off the toes of my work socks helped. My toes are certainly able to grip the inside of the shoe better, possibly allowing the 1st met to anchor better.

Also, I've noticed that as the bunion improved that my big toe is straighter and able to lay flat on the ground.

Whereas before I had a callous on the side of the big toe, it's not as bad now. The pad of the big toe used to be baby soft, but now it's better conditoned. I think that as the bunion formed, my toe rotated. (Such as what happens when I outstretch my fingers and take the tip of the ring finger and push it towards my thumb. The ring finger rotates.) As my bunion straightened out, the toe has rotated back to the normal position.
 
As my left bunion continues to improve, I've noticed that I've increased the range of motion. I'm able to bend the toe dorsally, about as much as I can on the right foot, now.

I used to have a dorsal bone spur, but I can tell that it's also improved. There's no longer a painful ridge of bone along the dorsal edge of the joint.
Website%20Hallux%20Limitus.jpg
(not my x-ray)

I'd read about the process of bone reabsorption, but was never sure how long the process would take or if it would occur at all for me. I'd say that ridge was quite painful only a year ago, and has improved over the last 6-9 months. The range of motion has improved over the last month, as I've continued to work with strengthening and flexibility. I think it's pretty amazing how much progress I've made through straightening, strengthening, and improving flexibility.
 
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Interesting information on bunions from The Gait Guys.

The Origin of Bunions
Bunions
Dear Gait Guys: … I have a young kid, 12, with a bilateral forefoot varus and bilateral bunions. … can we actually change his foot?

Dear J … It is imperative that you restore function (and the ability) to fully descend the 1st ray (your child must relearn how to anchor that metatarsal head aspect of the tripod). … You can often accomplish this with manual methods, mobilization, appropriate footwear and most importantly exercises to descend the 1st ray , particularly toe extensor exercises (both the EHB and the EHL which descend the head of the 1st).
Curse of the Bunion
Hi Dr. Allen, ask your opinion about my daughter’s foot issues. ... She has developed a bunion which is starting to cause her significant pain in the joint of her big toe.

Dear PG … correction possibilities may come from determining if she can adequately form a good foot tripod and achieve competent strength in the muscles that stabilize the joint (FHL, FHB, EHL, EHB, ABD H., ADD H., tib posterior and anterior …… to name most of them). A strong competent foot with excellent medial tripod anchoring ability will rarely develop into a bunion or hallux valgus. But you have to catch the incompetencies early and correct them before things get out of hand.
 
Probably going to be the final update. RIght foot is essentially bunion free. Left foot is 85% better.

Using the methods above, my toe spacing had improved. It was only after we got a used gym model treadmill for the home, that I realized that my feet still needed strengthening and improving flexibility. This wasn't apparent until I took a break from running, and used the treadmill for walking. Treadmills are exceptionally demanding for barefooters, as every step is the same. Eventually, I was walking 5 miles daily for about 3 months. The treadmill also forced me to improve my form, as the belt was quite abrasive (even more so than pavement). All the walking strengthened the muscles of the big toes, which also help to keep the toes straight.

While on the treadmill, I tried to make sure that I was engaging the big toes.
https://www.thebarefootrunners.org/threads/engaging-the-big-toes.17853/

Completely pain free now. Walking and running feel great. There's still a bit more work to be done. My right side feels essentially normal, so it's a bit more dominant. I'm working on my left side to bring it into balance. Fortunately, the hard part is done.
 
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