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Is going barefoot good for bunions?

I have bunions. They hurt sometimes. Is going barefoot good for bunions?

13 Answers

Bunions hurt because of shoe gear pressure over the bunion that presses on the nerve underneath it. So from that perspective, going barefoot will alleviate the pain. However, it is the flattening out of the arch, that affects the pull of the muscles and creates the bunion. So from that perspective, going barefooted is not good for bunions.
No, as the most common cause is bunions is a lack of stability in the foot. If you don't like to wear shoes all the time, look for a sandal or slipper that still has some support
Going barefoot will alleviate pressure from shoe gear reducing pain temporarily but will not result in an other change or stop the progression of the bunion.
Actually, wearing wide, supportive shoe gear is better for bunions. Unfortunately, walking barefoot requires you to have more range of motion of the first toe joint that people with bunions don't have. That can cause jamming and inflammation of the bunion area. Making sure that you have plenty of room in your shoes is important as well.
Doesn't really affect them unless you are an overpronater, then it would worsen them.
Bunions are bones that have shifted due to genetics, shoe gear, or both. Any kind of constrictive shoe will aggravate them, but can't walk around barefoot all day. Need to find comfortable shoes or consult your podiatrist about possibly having them surgically corrected. But only do that if they are painful...cosmetic foot surgery can be a disaster!
No, not really, unless you were going to walk barefoot forever. Sure, then your bunions wouldn’t hurt. But as soon as you put a closed shoe on, the discomfort will have worsened as your foot will have spread.

no
No. You should have comfortable shoes on.

Dr. Samuel Quartey 
Going barefoot is not a good idea because it potentiates the deformity. You definitely want to find the appropriately fitting shoe or a medical grade supportive sandal, such as oofos or vionics.
No it is not
It depends on your situation. Sometimes bunions are caused by mechanical imbalance. In this case, tennis shoes/supportive shoes with orthotics is the best course of action to stop the bunion from getting larger. If you wear high heels or pointy toed shoes, you need to stop wearing them. But barefoot only takes pressure off the bunion, which may feel good, but may allow the bunion deformity to progress
Bunions develop due to a muscle imbalance in the foot. If the mechanics of your foot will predispose you to developing a bunion, then barefoot walking may accelerate the formation of the bunion. I recommend you discuss with a foot and ankle surgeon (podiatrist) for treatment options