Bunions and new boots

[sherrardk]

I usually wear trainers or very worn-in doc martens but I have got a new pair of boots that I need to 'break-in' before the weather gets too bad. The problem is that they really make my bunion on my right foot 'ping' like crazy - is there any way around this? Thanks

[carrust]

errr, hop?

[sherrardk]

Don't fancy hopping on ice and snow really.

[carrust]

...Bunions & new boots...Sounds like a name for a musical, or a punk band. lol

[NazNomad]

I didn't know, and I can't post without a good answer so ...

From here ... http://www.lawnsite.com

"I learned this trick many years ago from a Rodeo barrel racer when I had a pair of Tony Llama boots I thought I'd never be able to break-in.

Wear your normal socks and new boots on until your feet start to hurt. Without taking the boots or socks off, take a rubbing alcohol soaked cotton swab and saturate the outside of the boot where the pressure points are hurting your feet. Really soak the spot to get the leather wet all the way through. You’ll feel instant relief as the leather expands. Now continue to wear the boots until the alcohol completely evaporates and your boot will be broken in. The alcohol will not leave any mark on the boot. "

[society]

I don't know what they are called but Dr.Scholls sells something to cover bunions. Check you shoe store or Chemist they might carry something of the sort.

[woofgang]

your local shoe menders should be able to sell you softening spray and boot stretchers. Beware thought as the placcy ones don't work, you need the wooden ones and they are abput 20 quid a pair

[sherrardk]

Excellent Naz - I will get some of that stuff on the weekend and give it a try. They're not expensive (just Kickers) but they are really nice (black with blue stitching) and my trainers are knackered so I need to start wearing them.

[carlton23]

You could `ram` some screwed up newspaper into the toes with the end of a broomstick and leave overnight.

[Mosaic]

Put a large potato in a poly bag and ram it as far as you can into the toe of the boot, then dip the foot of the boot in a basin of cold water for about 5-10 seconds. leave to dry, maybe on some newspaper, and check every so often that the spud is still firmly jammed in as far as it will go.
The wetting softens the leather / fabric and allows it to be re-shaped, but there is the danger that you soften the glues as well, which is undesirable.....
It takes several days to achive the stretching you need, but persist.

[saxy_jag]

The surgeon who operated on the biggest of my bunions (I still have the smaller one) said there are only two ways to avoid bunion pain - you can either have surgery to straighten them - and even that's no guaranteed pain relief - or wear well-fitting shoes. If your shoes hurt your feet then they don't fit properly and they'll break-in your feet before your feet break-in the shoes.

[duntocher]

you can also buy a wooden shoe stretcher, with loose attachments, to add to stretch the part where the bunion is. I have used this and find it works really well. (Can be used for both shoes) Costs around £9.00