The bunion corrector images you see online look too good to be true, but do they help? This gets asked a lot in forums and patients often ask us. Of course the pictures make it look as though they work and those that sell the product want to convince you that they work. As I pointed out in this blog post, some of the online photos are so ridiculously obvious that its a shame that they are so gullible.

But, do bunion correctors actually work?

These types of braces or splints have been around for a very long time. The logic behind them is that they are supposed to straighten the toe when you have a hallux valgus by wearing them as a night splint. However, my logic has always been that the corrective force that they generate during the night is way out done by the deforming forces of shoes and weightbearing during the day, so I have always been a cynic. Some of those selling them are being somewhat honest regarded this: Do Bunion Correctors Work? and others are somewhat dishonest and setting unrealistic expectations.

However, there is one study that shows that they do give a few degrees of improvement after a few months of use. That does not mean that the amount of correction can be greater if used for a longer period of time or if the improvement is still there after the use of the bunion corrector is stopped.

I do, however, find them useful in combination with exercises and footwear advice to help relieve some of the aches and pains that can occur inside the joint. This is not a blanket recommendation for bunion correctors, but a cautious recommendation for appropriate informed use