Even the most prepared athletes out there unexpectedly have some unique running challenges come in their way. From foot pain, back pain to sore muscles, challenges contribute to sluggish running we observe in athletes during outdoor trainings.
Just a slight foot pain is especially intimidating to most runners and one of such annoying foot pains while running is bunions.
This is a kind of painful swelling on your first joint of the big toe caused when you wear tight or pointed shoes. You also get bunions when you overpronate.
Also, when you wear an ill-fitting running shoe, Prolonged pressure in your feet and bunions can reduce your best running performance significantly if care is not given. See more on how bunions is caused.
Having the best lightweight, breathable and fitting running shoes can eliminate your pains of bunions.
If you find shoes with plenty of room and good shock absorption, that is enough to keep runners with bunions back on the running track immediately.
Best shoes for runners with bunions – overview
Check out our top picks below to keep you walking and running pain-free.
- Hoka One One Clifton 4
- Brooks Adrenaline GTS 18
- Mizuno Wave Rider 21
- altra torin
- Asics gel nimbus 18
- Saucony Omni 16
- Asics Gel Kayano 24?23
- New Balance M1540v2
- Asics Gel Foundation 13
Related: Best treadmills with Netflix Streaming Capability
Best running shoes for someone with bunions reviewed
What are the best running shoes for someone with bunions toe. Here are our top best footwear solution for people with bunions.
Brooks Adrenaline GTS 18
Review
If you are looking for supportive shoes with maximum cushion for bunions, brooks adrenaline gts is a great option for holding your foot firm when you walk or run
The DNS midsole provides an added cushioning and comfort to your feet whether you’ve got bunions or not. This creates a soft and smooth environment condition for bunion pain relief and feet protection from impacts and pressure.
The running shoe has little weight. Thee lightweight design helps to reduce pressure on the bunion feet and relieves bunion pains.
This low arch running shoe has a full length crash pad which helps your feet stay in smooth transition when you run. The shoe is made from very durable and resistant material – you can hit road with this shoe year after year with little wear to it.
Because of lots of health features that comes with this seamless designed shoe, it is very pricey or expensive to buy.
Discover More option of Brooks Adrenaline GTS 18 for men and women
Pros
- low arch supportive shoes
- high stability shoe for runners
- Very durable –
- offers a comfortable fit in all foot conditions
Cons
- poor snug fit of some runners
- not affordable
Alternatively; you may want to try
- Brooks Ghost 11 Running Shoes
- Brooks Ravenna 10 – Best wide toe-box road running shoes for bunions
Customer Experience with this Product:
- Brooks Adrenaline gts 18 are shoes with arch support and a cushioned heel, confirmed to be very comfortable for standing and walking for people who suffer from plantar fasciitis.
Mizuno Wave Rider 21
Review
This running shoes for bunion from Mizuno has a unique quality for people with bunion since it’s lightweight and has breathable mesh.
The lightweight seamless design reduces pressure on your bunion. Its breathability ensures that your feet stay healthy and in good condition when a constant air mesh flow pass your feet in its roomy toe box. This helps prevents you having stinking feet.
Structurally, mizuno wave rider is durable since it’s outsole is designed from x10 carbon rubber material. The rubber helps to add flexibility even during intense running.
An added comfortability is this road shoe comes from its U4ixC midsole with good support and cushioning. Mizuno running shoe for bunion feet comes in all sizes – small, medium and large.
Like Mizuno Men’s Wave Rider 23, this wave rider can offer you a long distance running since its has excellent cushioning in the midsole. This snug fit bunion shoes is designed to have a toe drop about 12mm.
This shoe is affordable, it is quite less pricey than its cousins and in my opinion, it the Best Budget Running Shoes for Overpronation and Bunions.
Finding the right running shoe is difficult with too many high arches support out there. If you have low arch feet, buy this wave rider.
Check More options of Mizuno Running Shoes for men and women.
Pros
- lightweight for your daily running
- has breathable mesh – no smelling feet
- feet move freely in extra wide toe box
- less pricey or affordable
- comes in all sizes
- Seamless mesh upper
- Durable and flexible
- Lots of cushion, lots of energy your return
- Good cushioning from EVA midsoles
Cons
- 12mm drop not a great choice for most bunion runners.
Similar to this Running shoe, you may want to try
Customer Experience with this Product:
- To some users, in terms of stability and support, which is also important for Plantar’s runners, the Mizuno’s are good
- It’s hard to find a durable shoes for overweight runners with bunions, yet this Mizuno is perfectly light and offers a bouncy ride for more than200 lbs person.
- After 10 years of using Wave rider for marathon, one customer confessed this shoe is great for flat feet and zero arch.
Hoka One One Clifton 4
Review
Hoka shoes offer high stability and support though has a high arch. With a lot of space for free natural foot motion, this non-stylish running shoes is one of the top rated wide toe box shoes for bunions in our review.
Its comfortability is average – well cushioned with great stability and support on the wide foot platform. Running on a Hoka One One Clifton Running Shoes is like walking on cushion and you wouldn’t feel your toes are pinching.
This bunion shoes has a seamless design with the wide curved sole, which helps to distribute stress more evenly across your foot. This provides less pressure on the ball of the foot and the toes of the runner.
About 29mm heel drop and 24mm forefoot drop, so this shoe is so high from the ground, yet it is great for runners with plantar fasciitis and tarsal tunnel syndrome.
Hoka one is breathable – the fabric has seamless mesh upper for ventilation of your feet inside the wide toe box so your feet don’t get sweaty. The breathable fabric lining offers in-shoe comfort to your feet.
Hoka is great for Wider fitting forefoot and midfoot for enhanced comfort.
Discover similar options of Hoka One One Running shoes for men and women
Pros
- Lightweight
- durable made from abrasive rubber on outsole
- has breathable air mesh
- Full length compressiion EVA midsole
- Foam insole is removable
Cons
- expensive
- High arch is not really a good fitting to accommodate bunions
- Wears down extremely fast
Similar to this product, try
- Hoka One One Women’s Clifton Running shoes – one of the best running shoes for bunion ladies
Customer Experience with this Product:
- Arthritis Runners are recommended this shoe by podiatrist and Surgeons – it requires shoe inserts for high arch support
- The shoe is too narrow for some feet and customers with wide feet running in them get blisters. To avoid similar experience, Check these precautions when dealing with bunions shoes.
Choosing the best running shoes for bunion feet
Running shoes don’t just help you run per say. Not all runners shoes are specifically designed and tailored to accommodate foot related problems like bunions.
When you go out to choose the best running shoes that are good for your feet health, pay attention to unique shoes properties that ease your foot pains while preventing any feet injuries.
What to Look for in Running Shoes if You Have Bunions? According to Experts, the following guide would help you pick the best running shoes for someone with bunions feet.
Shoe Comfort
For most runners, nothing is important than having a comfortable and secure fit shoes that takes you far into a long distance running. Even a highly priced running shoe for bunion feet would becomes worthless without great support for comfortability.
Any experience runner would tell you that bunions has never been friendly with them, it a nightmare that stands of your way to run efficiently. With wrong shoes and bunion feet, you can’t run an inch.
Comfort and no foot pain is what every bunion sufferers are looking for. That is why we carefully reviewed running shoes that were designed and custom made specifically to ease bunion pains while you run.
How do you define comfortability of your bunion shoes? Since bunion, like blisters, is caused by friction and pressure, a running bunion shoes should guarantee healthy Foot Conditions with supportive cushioned insoles.
A running shoe with good cushioning system is designed to makes sure there is enough gap between the ground and your feet inside the shoe. The best athletic shoes for bunion has enough built in comfort to prevent any pains on your feet.
Since you would want to run miles without feeling that your feet are hurting, you find shoes that offer best shock absorption on your every step.
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Shoe Breathability
When you remove your cover running shoes after a long run, you may really get disappointed to find you’ve got wet, sweaty and stinking feet.
When you go shopping, choose a running shoe with breathable mesh to allow free circulation of air over your toes. Swelling may occur and blood flow into your toes would be affected if enough air doesn’t circulate freely round your feet.
If you consider finding running shoes for summer, breathable mesh e running shoes are a recommendable option for you. Breathability is a sort of an added comfort that keep a healthy environment for your feet during workouts.
The best breathable running shoes for bunions and sweaty feet with good Engineered Mesh, can expand to provide extra room for your toes, when air gets into it. This expansion is particularly useful for runners with flat feet.
The most breathable running shoes for bunion in our review is Mizuno Wave Rider.
Shoe Material and Durability
Outdoor runners require road shoes that will resists wears and tears under all conditions. As a result, their shoes are custom designed from abrasive resistant material for more durability and stability. Do not forget to check the shoes material and specifications.
What is the best sole material for running shoes? Carbon rubber is the most common outsole for bunion running shoes in our review. It is a solid rubber with carbon added to increase the durability of the outsole. A carbon rubber outsole is firmer and heavier than blown rubber.
Some shoes are EVA design but is EVA material strong? EVA(ethylene-vinyl acetate) has rubber-like properties but tends to be softer than rubber, rather, it has more flexibility. However, rubber soles are quite stiff and sturdy, and provide better traction.
Also, it is a kind of hard to find walking and running shoes for people with bunions. Most running shoe retailer don’t include a variety of bunion shoes since they are expensive.
The custom designs and adaptability that is needed for athletic running shoes to suit bunion feet makes it very pricy. So if you have to put down so much dollars for a pair of running shoes, go for the most durable running shoes for bunion pain relief.
They are very durably designed from carbon-rubber composite material.
Shoe Flexibility
Does the pair of shoes have enough room for bunion? Does the wider fit running shoe allow freedom and natural motion of your feet?
High flexibility of feet in your toe box and enough cushioning support for your bunions should be one of the top priority in your ideal road shoes for bunion feet.
Preferably, an extra wide toe box running shoes that comes with a flexible sole is a great choice for a bunion foot. Make sure to check if your ideal runners shoe is EVA designed. EVA running shoes are more flexible than rubber design outsoles.
Shoe Weight
Effective running exercise does not require you wear heavy shoes. Whether you are buying the best running shoes for women with bunion or for men, see to it that the shoe weight does not add more pressure and inflict more pains on your bunions. So, you shouldn’t forget to check the weight of your runners shoes for bunion pain relief.
Other ways how to ease bunion pains without surgery
Losing excess weight.
It is possible that overweight may contribute to changes in your feet posture and geometry. When your foot gets subjected to pressure due to your body weight, it can cause bunions.
If your bunion is cause by overweight, improving your foot arch height and losing some kilograms of fats can help manage the bunion pains.
Losing weight will help reduce any additional burden on the feet. This helps in preventing the arch from flattening in the long term. This will also allow the bunion to heal over time.
Injection or pain killers or iceing
Acetaminophen, ibuprofen, or cortisone injections can help bring your bunion pain down just for a short term. Apply ice to reduce your bunion feet whenever you go running.
Running socks for bunion
With good socks under your bunion shoes, you can hit the road with a long run. When using socks in your running shoes, avoid thick bunion socks so they don’t cause your feet more pressure on the bunion.
SockWell graduated compression socks are ideal thin bunion socks with maximum comfort and pain relief.
You can also use these Zatech plantar faciitis socks – its seamless toe closure alleviates swelling and boost performance. If your socks have built-in compression pads, you will enjoy a lot more comfort with no pain or blister.
Orthotics
One way to ease bunions while running is to use orthotics – special shoe insoles custom designed to prevent formation of bunions.
However, if you already have bunions, these insoles give additional support that reduces pronation and stabilizes your big toe joint. These Physix Gear Sport insoles have an ergonomic, non-slip design that provides top-notch arch support.
It relieves bunions, metatarsal arch and heel pain, corrects abnormal walking patterns, relieves ball of foot pain, helps low back pain.
Bunion Massage & Foot exercises
There is another way how to treat bunions – with massage. Bunion feet have trigger points, if you find it, You stretch the toe properly. You do this for hours a day and you will be amazed at a remarkable decrease in your bunion pains.
- Calf Stretches: Podiatrist recommend it’s also important to stretch the calf muscles as tight as possible. The purpose is to pull the foot in such a way as to put pressure on the big toe joint when you walk.
- Towel Scrunch is an arch strengthening exercises that help in building strength in collapsed arches
- Gold ball rolls help increase flexibility of the foot muscles by improving blood flow
Bunion exercises can kill your bunion pains so quickly, so do more of it. You can use bunion taping to supplement foot exercises. Taping your foot in a normal position before a run can reduce pain and stress on a bunion.
How to stretch out bunion toes? Check how to massage to get rid of your bunions.
Related: Best Workout Shoes for Plantar Fasciitis (Super Cushioned)
Precaution when running with bunions feet
Avoid High heel running shoes.
Would wearing high heels every day damage your feet with bunions? YES, it does. Wearing high heals is a no-no, because high heel athletic shoes puts your weight forward and cause excess pressure on your bunion toe.
If you run consistently while wearing high arches bunion shoes, it puts more pressure which makes your bunion to grow larger over time.
What happens if you wear high heels every day? If you wear running shoes with a high heel, do not let your bunions get large, because if you do, you might be difficult to get the best running shoes for large bunions in the market.
We recommend you get a pair of running shoes for bunion feet with low arch support. Avoid footwears or running shoes with high heel support until your bunion is treated.
Avoid excessive pronation
Excessive pronation cause foot problems that can , take a toll on your toes, ankle knee and lower back. Overpronation of feet can cause you extreme stress on the plantar fascia, with potentially severe discomfort and other foot problems.
So to to keep excessive pronation knee pains as well as bunion pains very minimal, overpronators should look for support or structured cushioning shoes for running. Avoid excessive pronation exercises at much as you can while you have bunions.
Avoid shoes with narrow toe boxes.
If you are wearing shoes with narrow toe room, even with extra cushion, you’ll still suffer more pressure on your feet. Thus walking or jogging with narrow toe box running shoes is an added pressure on the bunions pains.
You should avoid narrower toe box shoes and start your daily training with wide toe box shoes with extra room for free movement of your feet. Wearing an ill-fitting shoes or a non roomy toe box pair shoes is not a great choice if you have bunions.
Get your feet professionally measured
Runners oftenf make the mistake of estimating foot size and thus, their shoe size. This habit might result in persisting bunion pain you keep suffering from. This also results in runners mistakenly purchasing narrower shoes for flat, wider feet.
You might think you wear a medium size shoe, but a professional sizing could surprise you. You might also have wide feet that and that means plain suffering inside your nrunningw dress shoes.
Allowing a professional to get your foot size, can be an eye-opening experience that makes it more comfortable to prevent severe bunions easily.
Treat it immediately
What will happen if you leave bunions untreated? Bunions grows and can get larger and more severe when you allow it untreated. If that happens, emergency severe bunion surgery may be the only choice you get. It may also becomes more difficult to find the best running shoes for large bunions.
Practice good Lacing Techniques
Do you feel comfortable running with poorly laced shoes? I guese all hell no. Do you know how to tie your running shoes if you have bunions?
If you don’t know yet, learn to practice the best shoe lacing techniques for bunions shoes for runners. Below is a bunion shoe lacing trick video to teaches you how to tie runners loop.
How to Lace Running Shoes, According to the Experts.
If you don’t have expert lacing techniques for running shoes, here’s what to do so that you don’t feel any hurt on your bunion toes. Watch the video below to full length, it will help you learn how to properly lace your running shoes for bunions.
How are bunions caused ?
A bunion is a kind of painful swelling on your first joint of the big toe. According to a podiatrist at Summit Medical Group in New Jersey, bunions are either arthritic or genetic with mild, moderate, or severe pain.
Your bunions may have hereditary cause but heredity is not the only culprit here, arthritis is to take blame too. Bunions can also form due to a number of different changes in the feet over a long period of time
Overpronation increases your risk of having bunions when pressure exerted below your big toe as you run, becomes unbearable. This intense pressure may cause swelling and stiffness during running workouts.
Bunions are basically deformities of the feet. Weak foot muscles is another cause though the kind of workout and the habit of wearing narrow, pointed-toe footwear can increase your risk of having bunion feet.
What if running shoes, are to blame for your bunions?
can running shoes cause bunions?
When you wear an ill-fitting running shoe, prolonged pressure in your feet can cause bunions which even mildpains may be unbearable.
It is very common to observe that tight shoes are not good for running. A tight running shoe may be well cushioned to absorb shocks but lacks breathability and comfort that every healthy feet needs to have.
Does running make bunions worse?
If you’re not wearing the right footwear for running, then bunions will keep worsening each day. Continuous running can also make bunions get worse if not treated or if the pains is not relieved quickly.
Should you stop running if you have bunions?
This question depends on what you have done with your bunion feet. If the bunion is not causing you excessive pain when you run, then you should keep running.
All you just need to do is to get this best running shoes for bunion pain relief. If you’re wearing the right running shoes with low arches for bunion feet, that’s basic enough to ease your bunions pains.
If you do nothing about it…
When you wear an ill-fitting running shoe, you know ut’s probably putting a lot of pressure on your toe joints. The Prolonged pressure in your feet and mild bunion pains can reduce your best running performance significantly in competition.
One thing you shouldn’t ignore is that bunion is a serious foot pain that can lead to surgery if you don’t treat it with care. Don’t wait until your bunion starts creating problems with the second toe before you consider basic step like buying bunion shoes.
If you’re looking for quick bunion pain relief, discover our best running shoes for people with bunion feet. Changing your shoes is the best place to start fighting bunions.
How do Runners Deal with Bunions pains?
How do you stop a bunion from progressing so that you walk or run comfortably? There are more than just one way that runners get rid of bunion pains.
It might not be possible to cure bunion completely without surgery, yet the pains can be eliminated. How to naturally get rid of bunions pains? Here’s how to relief bunion pains – keep reading our Bunion Pain Relief and Treatment guide.
Consider Taking a bunion surgery
When is the best time to take bunion surgery? If your bunion pain have gotten so severe podiatrists recommend surgery. If you have suffered bunion pains for than a year, it is actually time now for you to consider going for surgery.
For fear that your bunion may get so serious and and cause other foot problems – hammertoes and pains in the ball of the feet, your health specialist may also recommend you take bunion surgery.
If conservative bunion treatment doesn’t relieve your symptoms, you might need surgery.
The goal of surgery is purposely to relieve pain and return your big toe to its correct position. Surgery is one way how runners can prevent and battle bunions permanently.
Don’t wait untill your bunion starts creating problems with the second toe before you consider ways how to treat bunions with surgery.
A surgical treatment for bunion may mean halting your running exercise as recovery can take six months to a year. This depends on your bunion and the surgical option that was used.
How to treat bunion pain without surgery
Can you treat a bunion without surgery? Fortunately, you can treat bunion at home and the majority of bunions can be managed without surgery.
There are several ways to ease bunion pains without considering bunion surgery. This takes care of the pains almost immediately, if you take recommeded methods as your doctor recommends.
Lets see how to shrink bunion naturally without surgery.
Wear toe spacer, pads and sandals:
There are several non-surgical treatments for bunions feet, though this just treats the bunion symptoms and not the joint deformity.
But can toe spacers help bunions feet? You should try wearing a toe spacer for bunion an hour everyday even while you’re running.
Besides bunion toe spacers, you can also find bunion support products like bunion pads, bunion corrector sandals and bunion splints can also help to realign your foot to normal position.
Alayna Bunion Corrector and Bunion Relief Sleeve with Gel Cushion Pads Splint Orthopedic Bunion Protector for Men and Women – Hallux Valgus Realignment.
Wear the best running shoes to prevent bunions.
One of the best solution for runners with bunions feet is Picking the Best Footwear for Bunions. In general, treatment for runners bunions starts with changing your shoes.
Most runners with bunions recommend wearing running shoes with plenty of room at the toe end. A wider running shoe with zero drop, cushion and comfort reduce pains when you are running with bunions.
If surgery is not an option for you, you can choose breathable mesh and supportive shoes designed for a long distance running below in our reviews. The best shoes with plenty of space for runners with bunions, will give you pain relief and help you walk and run comfortably.
Good shoes like Brooks Adrenaline GTS 18 with comfortable shoes insoles, can help you in providing support to flat arches. Make sure you buy a pair with sturdy arches that can help prevent your arches from flattening. That will help to ease your bunions so you enjoy running on track again.
- Learn More About: Other ways how to ease bunion pains without surgery.
- When you are running with bunion feet, mistake may cause further foot pains, follow these Tips for running with bunions feet. They will guide you avoid many pitfalls runners suffer when dealing with bunion pains.
Gearon is undergraduate (BSC in Physics), co-founder at TASI GYM, a runner, and a hands-on web developer . He is so passionate about getting fit.
His Science background, unbreakable zeal for fitness and value driven mindset, gives him an unusual discernment to determine if a treadmill meets expections of customers with varying fitness levels and health status or not. He tracks innovative changes in fitness world and uses customer feedback, manufacturer data, running experience, experts/coach interviews to make insightful reviews that uncovers value that guides Getfitsmartly community make right Personal fitness decisions with visible results.