Most of us would certainly prefer natural methods to manage our bunion pain before resorting to the dreaded, painful and often lengthy recovery after bunion surgery. But what are our options for such natural methods? Aside from getting rid of our 4-inch stilettos and loading up on pain relievers, many of us have incorporated any or all of the following lifestyle shifts into our days:
- Tweaking our diet to promote a less inflammatory bodily environment, which should help to lessen bunion pain
- Over-the-counter bunion splints that can help to reduce and often prevent further discomfort
- Rubbing essential oils on our tender bumps
- Kicking up our feet and just relaxing for a few days (as if…who really has this option?!)
Another natural treatment option to lessen bunion pain we might consider is yoga. Genres of yoga range from Bikram to Prenatal, and any of them can offer poses that work to stretch and strengthen the ligaments, tendons and muscles in the feet and toes. When you do this, it can help take some of the load off of an already improperly loaded foot.
Great yoga poses to try (or to look up on YouTube if you don’t plan on actually attending a class):
- Tadasana or Mountain Pose: This pose is great for alignment and a very basic move for beginners. Instructions, compliments of Yoga Journal, demonstrate these poses very well.
- Downward Facing Dog: This pose is the crux of many types of yoga flow. When you practice it, stretch and spread those toes as you push your heels down.
- Garland Pose: This pose allows you to stretch your entire foot to balance your weight as you squat down.
- Tree Pose: This pose varies a bit depending on the style of yoga you’re practicing, but you can benefit from any version. Traditional yoga instructions are here. Bikram Tree Pose can be found here.
- Utkatasana (Awkward or Chair Pose, depending on the type of yoga): This pose involves the same concept that is shown here.
Yoga provides benefits that run from the inside to the outside of your body. The practice has also proven to be an excellent way to prevent, slow the growth of and even stunt the progression of bunions. If you want to read further, we’ll leave you with one more fantastic article that outlines nine total poses along with stretching and massage techniques to relieve bunion pain and symptoms.
Yoga can release stress in the mind and body while strengthening you and helping to improve your balance and mental focus. However, if you suffer from the pain and limitations of a bunion, it can affect any area of physical activity in your daily life — even your yoga practice. So if you find that to be true, consider upping the ante of your bunion brace by trying Bunion Bootie. The bootie’s thin, flexible fabric slips easily into any shoe, but it can also be worn barefoot. So next time you kick off your shoes and pull on your yoga pants, try donning a Bunion Bootie as well to supplement your practice.
Best of luck to you in your practice, and namaste.