Recovering dressy shoe wearer here. I do specific exercises while on one leg to maintain and improve my balance, stability, and foot strength for barefoot paddle boarding, skiing, hiking, and aging. I also wear wide toe box trail runners an and men’s hiking boots and haven’t experienced blisters or severe foot fatigue since changing over. But my ski boots are and have to be very snug. Especially after a day of skiing, toe spreaders sound fabulous! Great article. Thanks!
I love this— do wonder about ski boots and (worse!) ice skates. But I think that’s the category of “I don’t wear these every day, so I can recover later with toe-spreaders.”
I am among the luckiest of humans. I actually get to wear ski boots for 8+ hrs a day nearly every day for months. Foot care is a daily practice. I do have custom boots so while quite snug, they don’t hurt/pinch and I use a boot dryer every day for hygiene.
Is it ok to just wear a spacer between the big toe and second toe. I’ve tried correct toes and just can’t wear them, but definitely need something for big toe separation.
Yes, a lot of people do this, and it’s definitely helpful, especially if you have the very common problem of the big toe beginning to turn inward, i.e., the beginning of a bunion. It won’t help with splay, but it will help correct the alignment of the first toe. I find Correct Toes the most rigid and least comfortable of the spacers I own (though sometimes I crave them, go figure!), so you might want to try out the Naboso spacers—they are squishy and very comfortable.
Wow! I tried the quick foot stretching exercise and it's amazing. I don't think about my feet enough and your post changed that. Ordering toe spacers right now!
Thank you. My toe spreaders have taken of residence in my closet if lost dreams. I’m pulling them out tonight and gonna recommit. Will try the exercises as well.
Ugh I hate that I shoved my feet in heels for decades and have bunions now.
If you have Instagram or YouTube, follow Gait Happens. They are a female functional podiatry practice in Denver and they have great education/outreach. The senior podiatrist is a former ballet dancer and has significant bunions, so she has a lot of great information on handling that problem.
I feel like your last two articles were written just for me. Working on my feet with more
determination now. Toe spreaders ordered. I'm not going to let my feet kill me no matter how hard they try.
This makes me so happy!
Recovering dressy shoe wearer here. I do specific exercises while on one leg to maintain and improve my balance, stability, and foot strength for barefoot paddle boarding, skiing, hiking, and aging. I also wear wide toe box trail runners an and men’s hiking boots and haven’t experienced blisters or severe foot fatigue since changing over. But my ski boots are and have to be very snug. Especially after a day of skiing, toe spreaders sound fabulous! Great article. Thanks!
I love this— do wonder about ski boots and (worse!) ice skates. But I think that’s the category of “I don’t wear these every day, so I can recover later with toe-spreaders.”
I am among the luckiest of humans. I actually get to wear ski boots for 8+ hrs a day nearly every day for months. Foot care is a daily practice. I do have custom boots so while quite snug, they don’t hurt/pinch and I use a boot dryer every day for hygiene.
Definitely getting toe spreaders!
Yes!! Saving the world one foot at time.
Is it ok to just wear a spacer between the big toe and second toe. I’ve tried correct toes and just can’t wear them, but definitely need something for big toe separation.
Yes, a lot of people do this, and it’s definitely helpful, especially if you have the very common problem of the big toe beginning to turn inward, i.e., the beginning of a bunion. It won’t help with splay, but it will help correct the alignment of the first toe. I find Correct Toes the most rigid and least comfortable of the spacers I own (though sometimes I crave them, go figure!), so you might want to try out the Naboso spacers—they are squishy and very comfortable.
Thank you!
Wow! I tried the quick foot stretching exercise and it's amazing. I don't think about my feet enough and your post changed that. Ordering toe spacers right now!
I love that exercise! So glad you tried it.
Thank you. My toe spreaders have taken of residence in my closet if lost dreams. I’m pulling them out tonight and gonna recommit. Will try the exercises as well.
Ugh I hate that I shoved my feet in heels for decades and have bunions now.
This is a great reminder!
If you have Instagram or YouTube, follow Gait Happens. They are a female functional podiatry practice in Denver and they have great education/outreach. The senior podiatrist is a former ballet dancer and has significant bunions, so she has a lot of great information on handling that problem.
Loved it! A question on the interdigitation of phalanges, right hand/rightfoot, or viceversa?
Right hand, left foot... unless you are an orangutan!