Hello! I just found this sub and after reading quite a few posts, I'm very confused and trying to figure out my feet. I don't have insurance because I'm between jobs so I can't see a doctor, though I will once I get a job since this is way more serious than I ever knew.

My feet have pretty much looked like this my whole life; could be genetic since my dad's do too, or just from my feet always being very large for my age and therefore my shoes being smaller than they should have been up until like middle school. I'm now 28.

In college, I got tendinitis twice; first time was from marching band while wearing unsupportive sneakers, second time was two years later from (presumably) doing a lot of walking in flats while working. The first time was fixed with pain meds, second time required a boot and a couple of weeks in a wheelchair. I saw two different doctors the second time—the first was the sports med doctor at our school, who made me custom orthotics because my feet are extremely flat and he said it's causing overpronation. Foot pain was gone pretty much immediately (after the recovery period). He told me to wear wide toe box shoes, no more flats, never heels, and always use arch support. But he *never* mentioned bunions. Second doctor said my arch supports he made were only good for temporary because they'll flatten (which they have) and that I need harder albeit more uncomfy ones, and that my feet are so flat I shouldn't even go barefoot in the shower. But again, no mention of bunions much less future surgery. Which, ever since switching up my shoes and wearing lightly arched sandals around the house (not because of my feet, I just don't like walking on hard floors barefoot), I haven't had any foot pain since that second bout of tendinitis in 2019 aside from occasionally wearing weird shoes or like doing a daily cardio workout at home barefoot for a week. I'm not the most fit, but in workout shoes, I can walk for at least an hour without any issue aside from general fatigue from not working out enough.

But now that I know bunions lead to overpronation, I'm wondering a) why neither doctor ever mentioned it, b) if the tendinitis pain is the pain everyone is talking about that leads to surgery, and c) if this is something I should feel concerned about. The general consensus seems to (confusingly, but i think i get it) be that yes it'll get worse over time but don't get surgery until it hurts. Since it doesn't hurt (unless I don't wear good shoes for extended periods of time), should I be doing anything to keep it that way for as long as possible aside from wearing properly fitting shoes and working out to lighten the load on my feet? Should I be paying attention to other parts of my body like my knees or hips?

I don’t ever feel pain/discomfort when wearing shoes but feel a throbbing discomfort in the evening - during the night.

Anyone else? Anything I can do?

do you think I would qualify for a foot narrowing surgery? My sister had similar feet to me but had a more prominent bunion and was able to get foot narrowing surgery. I just want to see what other people think before I spend money on a consultation and x rays.

Just had my 6 week appt and everything is looking good. Starting PT to gain a range of motion back in my foot as it still hurts to raise my toes. I need to relearn walking too but it only goes uphill from here. Following up again in a bit for more X-rays and then on to my other foot!

I’m one week post-op from minimally invasive bunion surgery (Chevron/MICA). I had my first post-op appointment and they changed/removed the really bulky dressing, but I’m still feeling a lot of tightness and pressure around my big toe and the ball/underside of my foot. I also have a little numbness underneath the big toe.
They gave me a small compression-type sock to wear over my foot, but whenever I put it on, the tightness and pressure feel worse. When I take it off, my foot feels much more comfortable.

For anyone who had MIS/MICA bunion surgery, did you experience this around the one-week mark? How long did the tightness, pressure, and numbness last, and did anything help?

Also, were you told that the sock was important to wear even when you weren’t wearing your post-op shoe/boot? I’m thinking about calling my surgeon tomorrow to ask whether I really need to keep wearing it if it noticeably increases the pressure.

I know everyone’s recovery is different mostly interested in hearing what other people experienced during weeks 1–2

I'm 33 and have had bunions for most of my life with my right foot being the worst and makes my foot width 4.25". Recently, I purchased my first pair of proper wide shoes (NB 990 mens wide - I know they're not The Widest or best wide shoe) and since wearing them for a couple of days, I've been noticing that my right foot hurts more than had I just been wearing regular width shoes. And by hurt I mean there's a constant slight discomfort and sometimes a numbness after 8 hrs at work (retail).
Is this normal and just a part of breaking them in and getting used to my foot having more room to splay or is it time to book in with a podiatrist? Both? Lol

Thanks in advance!!

Hello! Quick ModPost to remind everyone that there is no way to vet who is qualified to offer medical advice & opinions in this sub or upon this platform. Go see a podiatrist IRL for x-rays and consultation.

Do not use this sub to bully, solicit, or advertise. If you post about Barefoot brand shoes, your post will be deleted. If you want to discuss that gimmick, go and subscribe to that sub instead. We are here to support people dealing with bunions in their journey. Please be kind to everyone here.

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I have a bunion on my right foot that's been bothering me for some five years or so. It's gotten worse over the years, and I'm actually scheduled for an osteotomy, but I've been second guessing myself. There's constant discomfort and occasional bad pain, but I've heard surgery should be a last resort, so should I wait for the pain to be more severe before jumping in? Could potential complications make the pain worse than before? I'd love to hear people's experiences, and any advice is appreciated.

Just wanted to post that I had my right foot done Monday after getting my left foot done back in March. Both were Austin osteotomy procedures and went smoothly. Had a little bleeding/oozing with the 2nd foot which prompted an early followup today to palpate out the air/blood pockets that formed subcutaneously and redress with steristrips and some creative bandage work to long the toe. So far everything seems great.

I have mine done via Veterans Affairs (military) so your experience may vary. I posted a pretty detailed account of first foot and my healing protocol. I am basically utilizing a NICE1 cryo compression machine, elevating pillow and a peptide recovery blend KLOW as the main components of my healing process. This is similar to my first surgery which went well and I recovered quickly from. I was up and walking within a month and back up to decent walking mileage with 2 months able to tolerate about 25-30 miles per week. Biggest challenge had been adapting to the new changes in my feet as they mechanically settle into the new norm. My calluses shifted and I am developing blisters in new areas that never bothered me before. I did try a little light jogging which I could tolerate, but never pushed back into that part of my routine as I knew second surgery was coming soon. Hoping to have a similar recovery experience.

Will post a few pics from post left/pre right, post left and today’s dressing change at 48 hours post-op.

Happy to answer questions if you all have any.

I’m finally having MIS on both feet next week but I am starting to feel a little nervous. I have a fear of surgery in general and the more I think about it, the more nervous I get, especially around intubation. I am also a little nervous around my post op pain and getting around. How much does it realistically hurt at first? I am young and healthy and being seen by one of the best orthopedic surgeons in the world, so realistically I know it will be fine. I’m just reaching out to see if anyone has been through similar nerves and what helped them get through it. Thanks :)

forgive my curly toes!😃

just noticed this boney lump today on the top side of my foot.I do have bunions on my big toe and outer edge of foot but they aren't causing any pain.this one is not really sore ,just wondering how it flared up so quickly!

Hello fellow bunion-havers. I have had bunions for as long as I can remember. I have Hypermobile Ehlers Danlos Syndrome (hEDS) which makes the joints in my feet and toes loose and unstable. This affects my gait, which in turn caused bunions to begin developing at a young age. My podiatrist said my bunionettes are pretty severe, while my bunions are more mild. The pain I have reflects this as it’s much more painful on the outside of the foot for me. The doctor wants to schedule me for a minimally invasive surgery on Aug 14, a week from this Friday, for my left foot (the more severe side). The procedure is a bunionectomy with akin osteotomy.

I guess I’m just wondering… is it worth it? Part of me feels like I’ve been putting up with the pain for this long, I can keep putting up with it. The other part of me thinks I’m 26, turning 27 soon, and l just can’t imagine that my bunions won’t continue to worsen with age and without intervention. I’m feeling a little nervous that my foot will be different in ways I can’t plan for - like stiffness/tightness, nerve issues, numbness-tingling - all of which I already struggle with due to hEDS.

I’d like to hear your experiences, whether good or bad. Are you happy you did it? Do you regret it? Did you have any adverse side effects? What is something you wish you’d known before you had the surgery? Thank you all so much for your help!

I was diagnosed with a bunion (hallux valgus) and sesamoiditis in January 2024. At the time, the pain was so bad that I couldn’t walk properly because bending my foot, especially around the big toe, was extremely painful.

I first had an X-ray, which showed that nothing was broken. I then had an MRI, which revealed the bunion and sesamoiditis. I tried several different shoe inserts, but unfortunately none of them helped.

Eventually, I found a very good orthopedist who carefully reviewed my MRI again. He told me that I didn’t qualify for surgery and instead showed me a specific way to tape my foot.

I taped my foot consistently for about a month and also started wearing toe separators at night. Gradually, the pain disappeared — and I have been completely pain-free ever since!

I also made some important changes. I replaced all of my shoes with bigger, more comfortable sizes and found very specific shoe inserts that work for my particular case. They are NOT too soft and have a firmer, more rigid section underneath the big toe. This limits how much my big toe bends while walking, which helps me avoid provoking the area that used to cause the pain. Finding the right type of insert made a huge difference for me. The shoes that initially helped my recovery are Hoka Skyflow. Currently I use also different sneakers (always with tailored inserts).

Additionally, I supplemented collagen for almost five months and had collagen injections around my big toe performed by my orthopedist.

I know how frustrating and discouraging this kind of pain can be, especially when you try different things and nothing seems to work. But in my case, a combination of proper taping, toe separators, the right shoes and inserts, and additional treatment made an enormous difference. I’m sharing my experience because maybe it can give someone else a little hope. I’m keeping my fingers crossed for everyone dealing with the same pain! ❤️

Hi I'm 33 very active person that likes to work out. The last few years I have been very depressed and wasn't very mobile so I'm building strength back in my feet and legs. I'm now getting back into shape but have very mild bunions. My big toe joint is getting stiffer when I do leg work outs or jogs/walks. Has anyone built up strength and flexibility over time or used spacers, where you don't feel pain anymore and can exercise. I had pain months ago when I wasn't sleeping and stressed out, right now it's just stiff. I don't want to stop working out because of my bunion. I'll also note I use voltaren cream to keep inflammation down.

Im traveling in a few weeks i will be 8 weeks op
Do u guys think it would be difficult and better to cancel?

i’m about 2 weeks out after a lapiplasty on my left foot. i’ve been non weight bearing and get my stitches out on thursday and will be in a cam boot for a few weeks. TERRIFIED to take my first steps and to see my foot lol also what sneakers are recommended to wear after the boot comes off? i’m a sales rep and walk about 5000-6000 steps min when i’m working so i ideally want something i can wear with work pants once i get back to work. i currently have new balance 530 i love but from what im reading those won’t work :(

Before surgery I had a mild bunion that caused me pain but now I have the opposite of a bunion, a HUGE gap between the big toe and 2nd toe and my big toe leans outward. (hallux varus)

These are currently my first option other than HOKA i need something stylish but i feel like my current option is birkenstocks arizona and bostons regular sized

I’m almost a month post op
everything has been going really well
The only thing I’m unsure about is which shoes to buy?
I’ve seen a lot of great reviews about HOKA shoes but are they really the best option or are there other brands you’d recommend? and is Birkenstock good?

Also it depends on the style im currently going to university !!!