7 Best Best Running Shoes For Bunions in 2025

How we test running shoes for bunions

There's no brand or marketing campaign that tells us what to write or what not to write. We have our own process for deciding which shoes to test, and then we buy them using our own money. We have no brand ambassadors on the team. 

Each shoe is treated the same. We perform test runs and make sure to test shoes in different weather conditions and over varying terrain, be it road, trail, mud, rocks, both wet and dry. 

Then, we test the shoes in our lab. We use callipers, force gauges, durometers, tyre tread gauges, smoke machines, a freezer, and other devices to measure and describe different features accurately. All our results are published in a way that allows our readers to compare them with averages or results from other shoes of their choice. 

Our approach allows us to publish the most objective reviews out there. The top picks that we put under the spotlight here have performed the best in different categories when bunions are taken into account. 

This guide is here to educate, not make a medical diagnosis. If you’re experiencing pain or noticing anatomical differences in your feet, schedule an appointment with a podiatrist.

When the big toe is pushed towards the pinky toe, the joint at the base of the big toe protrudes. We see that as a bony bump on the inner side of the foot, and we call it a bunion or hallux valgus. In many cases, this happens due to ill-fitting footwear with very narrow (pointy) toeboxes.

Due to that pressure on the big toe, the metatarsophalangeal (MTP) joint becomes misaligned, so the tip of the big toe starts pointing to the pinky toe, sometimes it even overlaps with other toes, and the first metatarsal bone shifts outward so that its tip points toward the opposite foot. 

Bunions or big toe arthritis: similarities and differences

Both of these conditions happen at the metatarsophalangeal joints and, although they can look similar, they are not the same. It’s important to make the difference between them so that you know what you’re dealing with. 

Why it’s important to find proper footwear for bunions sooner rather than later

Not just footwear. It’s always best to visit a specialist who will make proper diagnosis and recommendations. From icing, taping, physiotherapy and corticosteroids to painkillers (NSAIDs) and surgery. 

If you keep ignoring them, they might lead to: limited big toe movement, pain when standing, walking, and/or exercising, corns or calluses, numbness, swelling, bursitis, hammertoes, and osteoarthritis.

In this guide, we focus on running shoes. It is worth noting that many runners with bunions found Crocs and Birkenstocks comfortable for casual walking. 

Say NO to these if you have bunions

Before we continue, the biggest step you can take right now if you have bunions is to ditch: 

1. High heels
2. Shoes with pointy toeboxes

6 things to look for in running shoes if you have bunions

1. Wide toebox: non-negotiable! This is especially important because many female runners actually need just a wide toebox and not a wide shoe overall. They should look for a wide toebox and not a shoe in Wide or Extra wide. 
2. Tall toebox. Not many runners think about this, but having vertical room matters as well as your toes should not be pressed on from any direction. 
3. Stretchy upper. Stiff upper could put more pressure on the bunion. Soft, pliable, knit upper is the way to go! 
4. Comfort. No hot spots, no sliding within the shoe, no heel slipping. Dreamy comfort is what you should be looking for!
5. Arch support. There are contradictory opinions on this and we will cover both sides. 
6. Cushioned platform. Some runners actually enjoy barefoot running shoes instead of high-stacked ones and we will explain the use cases for both. Data (scientific research) is not uniform on this topic. 

Out of these 6, numbers 1, 2, and 3 are insanely important if you also have bunionettes or tailor’s bunions (smaller bunions below your pinkie toe). 

Finding a wide toebox 

Finding the best toebox for the bunions is much easier when you know we measure the width of the toebox in 2 places: where it’s the widest and at the big toe. Given that bunions can happen when inadequate footwear (very pointy) pushes the big toe towards the pinky toe, we know that you need room at the big toe. 

In our lab, we pour our special gel into the shoe. The gel fills the shoe entirely so we freeze it to be able to accurately measure the inner volume of the toebox

But also, when a bunion appears, it happens lower at the base of the big toe, so you need room where the ball of the foot is. This implies that you should look for the overall-wide toebox! 

What you should avoid at all costs is a pointy (very tapered) toebox. 

Overall, brands like Altra and Topo are known for their wide toeboxes. However, you might be ok with a few other models that have a wide toebox, because your feet could be generally on the narrow side so you might not need as much space.

Finding a tall toebox in running shoes for bunions

Unfortunately, brands don’t publish this. Some will offer “shoe volume” or “toebox volume” but we don’t know how that volume is distributed. 

Having a stretchy upper can help here. When the big toe points up, a stretchy/soft upper will not put too much pressure on it, so runners can avoid having black toenails or toe injuries

Stretchy upper feels gentle when you have bunions

In short: look for a knit upper because it is comfortable and stretchy, creates the much-wanted sock-like feel, and is much less prone to blisters than the mesh upper. It helps when the base itself is not wide enough and your toes and bunions need more room.

There are mesh uppers that are stiffer and can be harsh for the bunions, and there are stretchy and comfy uppers made out of knit. They both have their pros and cons and, in general, there’s no good and bad, as their use depends on the shoe’s purpose. 

Examining a soft knit upper in RunRepeat lab

However, when it comes to the bunions, it’s best to choose a knit one. This is to avoid any additional pressure on the bunion that would hurt or make the condition worse. 

However, some toeboxes are wide already and you may not need more room that a knit upper would allow by being stretchy. Such toeboxes may feature a mesh upper as the table below shows.

Nailing the comfort in running shoes for bunions 

While this is a given for most runners, once you get a bunion or bunions, you have to pay more attention to the comfort so that you don’t irritate the bunion more. This means you should look for running shoes in which: 

1. There are no pressure points or hot spots. Look for a comfortable shoe that does not put pressure on your feet, especially on the forefoot. 
2. You’re experiencing a superb lockdown. Your feet are not sliding backward-forward or left-right inside the shoe. Your heel should not be slipping as well. 

Heel slipping should be avoided at all costs 

Contradictory data on arch support and cushioning for bunions

There are studies and reports on both a) very cushioned shoes with arch support and b) minimalist or even barefoot shoes helping runners with bunions. Why is it so? Because runners have different needs depending on their pronation and the current state (progression) of bunions. 

Here’s an overview of those 2 approaches:

Cushioned running shoes with arch support for runners with bunions

We consider running shoes cushioned when they have more than 30 mm at the heel. For bunions, however, we believe that a minimum of 25mm at the heel is enough. 

Altra running shoes confirm this, given that many of them are considered a great choice for bunions and usually average 27.7mm at the heel (with the current minimum sitting at 19 mm and maximum at 34.8 mm). 

Knowing that 25 mm is enough for the heel stack height, is up to you to decide 

1. How soft you want the shoes to be, and 
2. Which heel drop to look for. 

Let’s cover both now. 

Softness of running shoes for bunions 

Softer shoes are great because they mean more cloud-like feeling, as if there’s a gentle cushion below your feet. However, somewhat firmer shoes offer more stability and support that your feet will enjoy, especially if you’re overpronating. 

When it comes to the softness, we measure it in our lab so you can consult our lab data. We use a shore A durometer to do this and we perform this test on a shoe cut in half as any other option would result in inaccurate measurements. 

Looking at the display on the durometer, lower numbers indicate it’s a softer foam, while higher numbers indicate it’s a firmer foam. 

It’s also worth noting that you can choose between a premium and a standard foam. Premium foams are usually found in tempo and race shoes, they offer an insane energy return and leg-saving features, but that comes at a price, literally. 

On the other hand, standard foams are usually found in daily trainers and they are known for their durability, affordability, and stability. If you have a preference or want to learn more about foams (basically all the geeky details), check out our Ultimate guide to running shoe foams. 

Which heel drop should you choose if you have bunions 

First, we should understand the effects of different heel-to-toe drops. Heel drop is the difference in height between the heel and the forefoot. We have flat shoes with a zero drop and high-drop running shoes with a drop as high as 16mm. 

Based on the height, heel drop is split into 4 categories and each has different effects on the leg muscles: 

1. Zero drop (0mm): These shoes utilise the foot muscles the most. Many barefoot and minimalist running shoes feature a low drop. In the world of highly cushioned shoes, Hoka shoes sometimes feature a low drop. 
2. Low drop (1-4 mm): Shoes with a low drop use the lower-leg muscles the most (achilles, calves). Low drop and zero drop shoes put more stress on the foot that mid- and high-drop ones. 
3. Mid drop (5-8 mm): These shoes utilise the muscles round the knee and quads the most.
4. High drop (9mm and higher): Wearing high drop running shoes means you will be using muscles around the hips a lot. 

Knowing this, it’s on you to figure out which drop would suit you best. Heel strikers usually enjoy a higher drop because such shoes (obviously) have more cushioning at the heel. Forefoot strikers don’t need the chunky heel so they choose flatter shoes, and it works vice versa as well. Lower drops promote forefoot striking. 

If you’re choosing minimalist or barefoot shoes (covered in the next chapter), you will most likely go for a low or zero drop. In cushioned running shoes, it depends on the goal. If you want to alleviate all the extra stress on the foot muscles, you can choose a higher drop. However, if using foot muscles works better for you (definitely not painful!) you may choose a lower drop. 

Here, we’ve covered the basics only. For more useful information, we recommend reading our ultimate guide on heel to toe drop. 

Minimalist and barefoot running shoes for runners with bunions 

There’s quite a big difference between minimalist and barefoot running shoes, although they are often put in the same group. In barefoot running shoes, there are no stabilising technologies, upper usually has no structure, they are as flexible as they get. Minimalist running shoes, however, feature some cushioning and can have some structural or stiff elements. 

Crazy level of flexibility found in a barefoot running shoe

If you plan to use these shoes, this is our advice:

1. Take time to adjust to the minimalist or barefoot footwear. It might take months because it might be your first time walking and running in shoes with barely any or no cushioning and protection. Also, it takes quite a lot of time to transition from, say 10mm drop, to a zero- or low-drop! 
2. If you’re an overpronator, be even more cautious. You might do better in minimalist shoes than barefoot shoes, as they have at least some cushioning to absorb the impact forces of your uneven landing. 
3. It’s best to just start walking shorter distances in these shoes and up the mileage gradually. Whenever you feel the pain, stop immediately. IF you’re far from home, rest and change to your old shoes (cushioned/high drop) to get back home. Do this, of course, in case your old shoes are causing you no pain or discomfort! 

Good-to-know facts about bunions 

Here are some facts we found interesting and useful while doing the research on bunions: 

• Bunions affect around 35% of women over the age of 65.
• Bunions can be removed surgically. This surgery can improve the ability to walk and exercise and it can reduce the pain. However, up to 15% of bunions return. 
• Strengthening the muscles may help with bunion-related pain and movement. 
• More than 70% of people with bunions have a biological parent who’s had them

Sources 

• https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27363573/
• https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/14386-bunions-hallux-valgus 
• https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC2615430/
• https://www.bunioninstitute.com/blog/difference-between-bunion-and-big-toe-arthritis/
• https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24515981/
• https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30558948/ 
• RunRepeat lab data