6 easy exercises to relieve bunion pain
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May 21, 2025Relieve bunion pain
It’s normal to seek a way to relieve bunion pain. Bunions are a painful bony bump that appears at the base of your big toe. Considering that your entire body weight can rest on a bunion, it’s no surprise that bunions are painful.
Bunions are a progressive condition that develop over time, and in the early stages they may be more aggravating than they are painful. But, if pain begins, performing foot exercises may help to help relieve bunion pain.
Everyday Health offers easy exercises to help relieve bunion pain. Here are 6 they recommend:
- Stretching your toes. Alternating pointing your toes straight ahead five seconds and curling them under for five seconds, can increase mobility. Repeat the stretch 10 times.
- Toe flexes. Pressing your toes against the wall may help. Hold your toes in this position for 10 seconds and then flex them in the opposite direction for another 10 seconds. Repeat three or four times.
- Walking barefoot on the beach. Walking on sand helps to strengthen the toes, and as an added bonus, it gives your feet a gentle foot massage.
- Resistance exercises. Using an exercise band, a belt, or even a rolled-up towel, pull your big toe toward you while pushing your foot forward at the same time. The resistance will help to build strength in your big toe.
- Ball roll. Massage the bottom of your feet by rolling a golf ball or a tennis ball under your foot for two minutes. This can help relieve strain in the foot as well as cramping.
- Gripping exercises. Another good exercise is to pick up small objects, such as marbles, with your toes. Try picking up 20 marbles one by one and placing them in a container.
It’s important to have a doctor evaluate your bunion early, as other issues may develop as the bunion progresses. You may be able to manage pain in the early stages of bunion development, but it will typically worsen until surgical correction can address the root cause. While a bunion can be seen at the base of the big toe, the root cause is actually an unstable joint higher up in your mid foot.
If you are thinking about bunion surgery, consider the Lapiplasty® Procedure – the #1 bunion product in the U.S.1 Providing a 3D fix for the 3D problem by realigning the entire metatarsal bone, rather than just shaving it. The Lapiplasty® Procedure fixes the root cause (an unstable joint in the middle of the foot) by returning the bones in the foot to their correct alignment and securing them with a system of patented titanium plates. This method allows most patients to get back on their feet in a walking boot within days.
