Bunion is a foot deformity in which the big toe tilts toward the other toes, creating a bulge in the metatarsophalangeal joint at the base of the big toe. Although many say that bunions are a genetic disorder, many facts show that bunions are caused by pressure on the big toe due to the wrong shoes and an unhealthy lifestyle.
Let's take a look at some cases.
A massive study* was conducted on the island of St. Helena on 4,000 people in 1960-1962. Examination is done on the soles of the feet and then compared with the habit of wearing shoes. At that time, both women and men wore restrictive-style shoes. As a result, no bunions were detected in residents who never wore shoes. However, data showed that bunion cases increased, as the frequency of shoe use increases. In other words, the higher the frequency of wearing shoes, the more susceptible the foot is to bunions.
Another study** was conducted by 2 doctors in Japan. In 1980, dr. Tadashi Kato and Showri Watanabe published a journal investigating the correlation between development of footwear models in Japan and the number of bunion patients in their clinic. Prior to 1970, Kato and Watanabe received few bunion patients. Apparently the dominant type of shoe in that era was Geta, sandals with open toes. They concluded that wearing closed-toe shoes increases the risk of developing bunions.
Hence, what is the correlation of wearing barefoot footwear and bunions?
Dr. Ray McClanahan D.P.M., a podiatrist for 15 years, recommends wearing minimal footwear to fight bunions. Footwear that is flat, without heels and has a wide forefoot allows the foot to be in a natural position at all times. And, make the joints and bones return to their original position slowly.
A real-life testimony from one of our followers on Instagram, Ms. Debora Dewi. “My curly toes are starting to get more straight. Coming up next is my bunion transformation. My goal is to have stronger feet!”
This is why wearing barefoot footwear helps your bunions!
Sources:
* Shine, I. B., Incidence Of Hallux Valgus In A Partially Shoe-Wearing Community. British Medical Journal 1965, 1 (5451), 1648-1650.
** Kato, T.; Showri, W., The etiology of hallux valgus in Japan. Clinical Orthopaedics and Related Research 1981, 157, 78-81.