A hallux valgus, popularly known as bunion toe, is a curvature of the big toe. The typical and easily visible shape is caused by a malposition of the joint and the bones that form it. To illustrate: On the right foot, for example, the joint at the beginning of the toe protrudes at an angle to the left.
Depending on its thickness, it can be bent at a right angle. The foot malposition is particularly common in women. The reasons are shoes that are too tight, too small, too high, plus connective tissue that is too weakly developed.
Shoe characteristics
In orthopedics, special shoes for hallux valgus sufferers have been developed. They are characterized by a particularly comfortable footbed, with plenty of room for the forefoot in particular. Certain areas are padded underneath to support the arch build-up, to lift the lowered metatarsal bone and thus relieve the pressure from the affected big toe joint and also to bring tense tendons into a slight stretch.
Combined with the soft, comfortable and spacious shoe, a stable thick sole is created that supports and guides the foot. The thick rounded sole makes it easier to roll and thus supports the physiological gait pattern. Conventional Hallux Valgus shoes have a rather clumsy look, which made women in particular forego the health factor and continue to wear their usual shoes. More and more suppliers are now adapting to the demand and offering nicer designs, which will be discussed in the rest of this article. Barefoot shoes are also recommended in many articles, but they are not suitable for every everyday situation.
What must be taken into account
When buying Hallux Valgus shoes you should pay attention to several things:
- First and foremost the wearing comfort is important. The shoes should not press under any circumstances and should offer enough space for the protruding joint. High-quality material such as leather adapts more to the foot and offers comfortable walking without a clumsy appearance even in the long term.
- The shoes must be the right size to provide stability without exerting pressure.
Especially at the forefoot the shoe should have a certain width to give room for the clenched toes. A relatively stiff sole has the advantage of supporting the foot in its rolling pattern when walking. The inner sole should have some padding that builds up the arch of the foot by exerting pressure and thus relieves the forefoot.
