Bunions: Can targeted exercises really help? 🦶

Many people believe surgery is the only way to fix a bunion (hallux valgus). However, there is a key factor that is often overlooked — weakness in the abductor hallucis muscle.

The abductor hallucis is one of the intrinsic muscles of the foot, primarily responsible for the abduction and plantarflexion of the big toe. When this muscle remains weak over time, the big toe loses its essential support and gradually drifts outwards, speeding up the development and progression of a bunion.

The good news is — this muscle can be strengthened with targeted training.

Abductor Hallucis Strengthening Exercise | Easy to do at home

Step 1: Keep your forefoot and heel flat on the floor, and lift all your toes upwards.

Step 2: Spread your little toe outwards and lower it to the floor, while slowly guiding your big toe inwards and lowering it to the floor.

⚠️ You might experience foot cramping when you first start — this is completely normal! It just means you are waking up tiny muscles that have been inactive for a long time. Keep at it, and you will soon see the difference! 🌟

What the research says

According to a study by Kim, M. H. et al. (2015), practicing this strengthening exercise for 20 minutes a day, four times a week for eight weeks can effectively reduce the hallux valgus (bunion) angle.

A small daily routine can lead to much bigger changes than you might think.

📩 Want to learn more about bunion assessments and treatment options? Feel free to drop us a message to get a personalised analysis from our professional podiatrists. 🔖