Dancing is not ideal for people with bunions as it can lead to pain and discomfort. And pointe shoes are not made for people with bunions, that is an unfortunate fact. They place undo pressure on the bunion causing pain. However, there are some pointe shoes that are better than others when you have a bunion formation. Now you might want to consider getting a bunion pad that can slip into pointe shoes. Here are a couple examples of what I am talking about:
Those pads can easily slip into pointe shoes and help cushion your bunion. The reason your bunion hurts during dance is the pressure that is placed on it. The pad above can help absorb some of the stress and strain placed on the bunion. However, there are some pointe shoes that are better than others and you want to focus on pointe shoes that feature wings. Wings can help reinforce the bunion padding and reduce stress and strain on the bunion. Below are a couple of pointe shoes of what I am talking about:
Capezio Women’s 197– This shoe features both medial and lateral wings with a wider box and larger platform to comfortably fit a bunion deformity. If you have mild to moderate bunions this shoe should get the job done.
Wing Block Pointe Shoes– The Wing Block is probably the best Pointe Shoe for bunion sufferers on the market. The wing block provides some of the strongest padding and protection for your bunion on the market. If you have a severe bunion and have tried multiple pointe shoes with failure, the wing block is a shoe you should give a lot of consideration to.
Studio Pointe Shoe Hard Shank– Now, this shoe may not be possible since it features a hard shank. However, that hard shank can lead to strong protection for your bunion.