“Do bunion splints really work?”

Depends on what you mean by "really work." Can they make your bunion disappear/go away? No. Can they improve your symptoms/pain? Yes.

Since splinting does not address the underlying pathology, splinting alone will probably not be successful. Shoe wear modification is usually the first step. If that is not helpful, then it is important to see a foot specialist to determine which of the several underlying pathologies contributes to the deformity, which will then guide you to the correct treatment.

Ron Noy, MD, FAAOS