Best shoes for bunions
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Short answer
AAOS recommends shoes with a wide toe box, or open-toe shoes, to reduce bunion pain. The Altra Torin 9's foot-shaped toe box is designed to give the big toe room. Orthofeet's stretch-knit sneakers are softer over the bump, and the Brooks Ghost 18 comes in widths up to 4E if you prefer a traditional shape. Shoes reduce pain; they don't reverse the bunion.
Illustration Foot-shaped toe box
Altra Torin 9
Altra's toe box is shaped like a foot, designed so the big toe and forefoot aren't squeezed. The catch: zero drop puts more load on the Achilles and calf, so ease in slowly and skip it if your Achilles hurts.
- Foot-shaped wide toe box
- Zero drop
- Cushioned neutral
Skip it if: you have Achilles or calf pain (zero drop).
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Illustration Soft stretch upper (women's)
Orthofeet Coral Women's Sneaker
A deep, soft-sided sneaker built for feet that can't tolerate pressure points. The extra depth leaves room for thicker or prescribed inserts.
- Extra depth
- Removable 1/4" orthotic insole
- Stretch knit upper
- Widths up to 4E (select)
- Seam-free interior
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Illustration Soft stretch upper (men's)
Orthofeet Edgewater Stretch Men's Sneaker
The men's counterpart: extra depth, removable insoles and spacers to fine-tune volume, and a stretch upper that doesn't press on bunions or hammer toes.
- Extra depth
- Removable insoles + spacers
- Stretch upper
- Widths D to 6E
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Illustration Traditional shape in wide widths
Brooks Ghost 18
A traditional, well-cushioned trainer with a 10 mm heel-to-toe drop. That higher heel takes some strain off the Achilles and calf, which is why it's a common pick for Achilles pain.
- Neutral cushioning
- 10 mm listed drop
- Narrow to extra-wide (B–4E)
- Removable insole
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Avoid narrow, pointed shoes, which AAOS links to bunions. Add pads or spacers if the bump still rubs.