I'm in the midst of shoe shopping for a list of special events, and when I began the search, I started off my searching for bunion-friendly stilettos. Not many contenders, and those that were, were the usual suspects.

Women with bunions are generally told to choose low heeled, flexible shoes with soft leathers; the thicker the heel, and the higher the vamp, the better.

That advice may be fine and dandy if you developed bunions from wearing heels, but if you have hereditary bunions, i.e. bunions caused by the musculoskeletal structure of your foot, these suggestions are not helpful at best, and counterproductive at worst.

While soft leathers feel nice against the skin and bone, the most important aspect of the shoe should be its stability, which helps limit the overpronation that caused the bunion in the first place. This means that an *inflexible* sole and stiffer leathers are actually preferable because they keep your foot in place.

High-heeled shoes often fit the bill because the soles are rigid. If you can find a shoe with a good heel cup, and the right kind of arch support for you--meaning that your feet aren't sliding into the toe box--you might be more comfortable and be doing your bunion a favour.

This has been a public service announcement by your flat-footed bunion specialist.