If your FYP is full of influencers promoting the best toe spacers for basically every foot issue under the sun, you might want to try them for yourself—after all, who doesn’t want happier feet? While they’re far from a silver bullet, toe spacers (cloth, plastic, or silicone devices that physically put space between your toes and help them splay naturally) can help strengthen your feet and prevent some toe alignment issues from getting worse.
“They’re a bumper that won’t allow overuse or overextension of those soft tissues,” Giovanni Incandela, DPM, a podiatrist at OrthoIllinois in Rockford, Illinois, tells SELF. And good news: Provided that you don’t have a severe bunion, hammertoe, or other chronically painful foot condition, you can safely test out some toe spacers for yourself.
Here, we spoke to podiatrists about the actual benefits of toe spacers and how to incorporate them into your daily routine. Then, we tracked down the best over-the-counter options that you can try.
Our top picksBest Overall: Mind Bodhi Toe SeparatorsRunner-up: ZenToes Silicone Toe SpacersBest for a Customizable Fit: Dykook Cuttable Toe Tubes SleevesBest for Your Smaller Toes: Welnove Gel Toe SeparatorBest for Big Toe Issues: ZenToes Gel Toe SeparatorBest Splurge: YogaToes ClassicsBest Socks: My Happy Feet Foot Alignment SocksWhat are the benefits of wearing toe spacers?
Despite the social media hype around them, toe spacers can’t correct any existing conditions, Elizabeth Daughtry, DPM, FACFAS, a podiatrist based in North Carolina, tells SELF. If you have a painful bunion or hammertoe that impacts your everyday life, the only way to address it is with surgery, she explains.
That said, toe spacers are a great preventative measure against these kinds of structural concerns. By gently stretching and properly aligning your toes, they can keep minor bunions from progressing to the point where you need surgery, Dr. Incandela says. He adds that they’re especially effective as part of a larger foot care routine. In addition to using toe spacers, Dr. Incandela recommends wearing supportive shoes that have a wide toe box, using sturdy insoles, and not walking barefoot around the house.
Toe spacers can boost your overall foot strength too. As SELF has previously reported, adjusting the alignment of your toes activates all the little muscles in your feet that may have been weakened by years of wearing narrow shoes. When the spacers are working correctly, you get a stronger base: You may notice better foot mobility, control, and balance—and you might even reduce your risk of developing injuries like tendinitis and ankle sprains.
Again, spacers are by no means a cure-all for your toe woes. But if you’re curious about their benefits, Dr. Incandela says they’re a nice option to try, given that they’re not too invasive (compared to other treatments).
How should you use toe spacers to get the most out of them?
If you’re totally new to using toe spacers, take things slow when you first start wearing them. Your feet will need time to get used to them—especially if you’re wearing them inside your regular shoes. If they feel pretty intense right off the bat, start by wearing them for as little as five minutes at a time. If they’re thinner, less bulky, or relatively comfortable when you put them on, Dr. Incandela recommends wearing them for an hour at first, then gradually increasing to longer periods of time.
Exactly how long it takes to break in your toe spacers will depend on their design and your comfort level with them. (And on that note, don’t be afraid to try a different option if your first set doesn’t feel quite right—Dr. Incandela says it can help to have a “buffet” of choices in order to find the best pair.)
There are a few instances where it’s better to skip using toe spacers altogether. If you have sensitive skin or wounds where the devices apply pressure, you could end up irritating your skin more, Dr. Incandela says. And if you have diabetes, poor circulation, or neuropathy that causes numbness in your feet, toe spacers could create blisters or pressure points that you might not even notice, Dr. Daughtry says. Not sure if toe spacers are a good fit for you and your needs? She recommends talking to a foot and ankle specialist before picking some up.
Shop the best toe spacersThink your piggies could use a little room to breathe? Check out our top picks for toe spacers, including some SELF staffer favorites.
Best Overall: Mind Bodhi Toe SeparatorsMind Bodhi Health & Wellness Store
Toe Separators
ProsDurableEasy to cleanGently stretch your toes, according to Amazon reviewersConsMay start to hurt after hours of wearDr. Daughtry likes silicone toe separators for their durability—and one SELF staffer can personally attest to how hardy Mind Bodhi’s are in particular. “If I fall asleep with them on, they eventually start to hurt, so I dramatically rip them off and they’re still intact,” she says.
These spacers slide on over the toes and separate them with soft gel pads, so they’re comfy enough to wear barefoot, with socks, or with shoes and won’t feel too intense for beginners. Plus, they come in a few cute colors, like pink, blue, white, and clear.
Sizes: One size (fits US shoe sizes 6–12)
Runner-up: ZenToes Silicone Toe SpacersZenToes
Silicone Toe Spacers
ProsMold to your foot over timeAvailable in multiple colorsVery softConsA little flimsy, according to Amazon reviewersWe haven’t tested ZenToes’s Toe Spacers firsthand (firstfoot?), but they’re another popular option made of stretchy silicone gel. “I can now walk my dog without so much foot pain, I can exercise with less pain, and my daily life is less painful in general,” one Amazon reviewer, who wore their pair daily, wrote. “My toes are slowly straightening, seemingly.” Like Mind Bodhi’s Toe Spacers, these shouldn’t dramatically stretch your toes at first—the spacers are nice and soft for a more gentle sensation.
Best for a Customizable Fit: Dykook Cuttable Toe Tubes Sleeves (5-Pack)Dykook
Cuttable Toe Tubes Sleeves (5-Pack)
ProsComfortable fabric exteriorTrimmableConsThin—might not provide adequate separation for someStretch out over time, according to Amazon reviewersThese stand-alone sleeves make it easy to customize which toes you separate, and you can trim them to just the right length for each tootsie. They’re lined with silicone gel but have a cotton exterior, which should help them stay in place without feeling sticky.
One thing to note is they aren’t as thick as some other options on this list, so they’re better for very mild separation and stretching. Plus, several Amazon reviewers said their Toe Tubes helped them feel relief from uncomfortable friction against their toes.
Best for Your Smaller Toes: Welnove Gel Toe SeparatorWelnove
Gel Toe Separator (12-Pack)
ProsStay putCome in large packs of 12ConsSome Amazon reviewers found that they made their feet sweaty“I love these if you have an issue between just two toes,” one SELF staffer says. “They stay on really well and don’t slip off.” They’re made of elastic silicone and fit over your four smaller toes, so they’re a great option if you deal with bunions or alignment issues specifically on your pinky toes.
“Sometimes, my pinky toe gets tucked and smooshed under adjacent toes,” one Amazon reviewer wrote. “These separators help keep all my toes positioned perfectly in my shoes without feeling squeezed.”
Best for Big Toe Issues: ZenToes Gel Toe SeparatorZenToes
Gel Toe Separator (4-Pack)
ProsSquishy consistency when you walk, per Amazon reviewersAvailable in multiple colors (including glitter!)ConsSome Amazon reviewers noted that they felt too thickZenToes’s single Gel Toe Separators create space between your big toe and its neighbor, which encourages it to straighten. If you have a bunion forming there, that gentle stretching should help realign the toe and relieve some of the pressure that comes with bunions. And if you want to focus on strengthening your big toe, it may help with that as well.
“These toe separators are so comfortable I sometimes forget that I have them [on],” one Amazon reviewer wrote. “They have helped to correct my mild bunion deformity, making my other toes more comfortable as well. In addition to strengthening the right muscles to avoid this condition from worsening, the toe separators have actually helped to reduce the bunion all together.”
Best Splurge: YogaToes ClassicsProsDurableGreat choice for experienced users who want to level upHighly rated on AmazonConsPricier than the other options on our listToo chunky to wear inside shoesMultiple SELF staffers are fans of YogaToes, which are also some of the highest-rated toe spacers on the market. Given their size, they’re best used when you’re hanging out at home or working at your desk—they’re bulkier than other types of toe spacers, so they won’t be comfortable to wear with socks or shoes or while you’re out walking around. But if you’re looking for significant toe separation, their size is part of their appeal.
“They’re durable, easy to clean, and provide a deep stretch,” one Amazon reviewer wrote. “They hold the toes securely in place and keep them apart. My feet feel so good after wearing them.” One thing to note: If you have a hard time getting your toes into the spacers, the brand recommends wetting your feet or the spacers themselves. That should make them easier to slip on.
Sizes: X-small (fits US shoe sizes 5 to 7) and small (fits US shoe sizes 7 and up)
Best Socks: My Happy Feet Foot Alignment SocksMy Happy Feet
Foot Alignment Socks
ProsStreamlined designMoisture-wickingConsMay feel tight for some, according to Amazon reviewersIf wearing toe spacers under your socks sounds uncomfortable, consider My Happy Feet’s Foot Alignment Socks. You don’t have to worry about an additional device slipping around or adding bulk inside your shoes, since the spacers are built right into the sock. Their cotton, polyester, and elastane blend feels soft, just stretchy enough, and (according to Amazon customer reviews) pretty breathable.
Sizes: Small (fits US shoe sizes 4 to 6), medium (fits US shoe sizes 7 to 9), and large (fits US shoe sizes 10 to 13)
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Source : Self.com