Toe Spacers: Do they work? Or are they just a gimmick?

Toe spacers have blown up in popularity these last few years, but do they really work? I’ll share my personal experience, what the research says, plus a round-up of the best ones to try. 

If you have crooked, squashed toes, and you’ve been searching for anything that can help, you may have come across a few different devices in your late-night internet queries. There was a video that went viral last year on TikTok about a bunion corrector that cinched a badly angled toe back straight. It looked like voilà, the bunion was gone. 

Sure, the device might have held the toe in place while it was on, but it was plastic and bulky, and you couldn’t really move and walk in it. Once you took it off, the toe would shift right back. 

It might be easy to group toe spacers in this same bucket of gimmicky devices, but after using them myself and reading up on the research, I’ve seen how helpful they can be as part of your toolkit to restore your foot function. 

The post discusses the research surrounding toe spacers, how to use them, and reviews of the best toe spacers currently available. 

What are toe spacers? 

First, let’s define what toe spacers are so we’re all on the same page. 

Toe spacers (sometimes called toe spreaders) are little silicone or gel devices that fit in between the toes to hold them in proper alignment. They’re not the foam things you get from the nail salon during a pedicure (though those do technically space your toes). 

The toe spacers we’ll be talking about here can be worn while walking or running.  

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Benefits of toe spacers

You might be wondering, who cares about how well-spaced your toes are anyway? In fact, based on the comments I’ve received on several of my videos, many people like their narrow, shoe-shaped feet as they deem a wider toe splay unattractive. Beauty is always in the eye of the beholder, but here we’re talking less about cosmetics and more about actual function. Let’s talk about the benefits of toe spacers.

Anatomical toe alignment 

The most obvious benefit of toe spacers is anatomical toe alignment. If you have bunions, hammertoes, or even overlapping toes, the toe spacers will help separate and properly align the toes while you’re wearing them. They can start to retrain the toes, so that eventually they’ll be aligned even when you’re not wearing the toe spacers. 

 Once a toe starts shifting from its natural position, it’s important to remove the force that’s causing this (usually shoes) and help keep it in its place. 

Better Circulation 

By stretching and spacing out the toes, toe separators improve blood flow. Blood flow brings oxygen and nutrients to the body, which is essential for healing. Better circulation can keep our feet healthy and heal faster when we do experience an injury. 

Improved Balance and Stability 

Our feet are the foundation of our body. The foot is meant to be a tripod, with the widest part of the triangle at the front. Wider toe splay is critical to balance and stability. 

Natural gait cycle 

Having properly aligned toes is critical to a natural, healthy gait cycle. The big toe is especially important in influencing our gait pattern as it should be responsible for most of the weight-bearing and propulsion. A misaligned big toe will often lead to compensatory movements, potentially resulting in pain in our feet or other joints. Calluses and abnormal wear in our shoes are often a sign of problems in the gait cycle. 

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Do toe spacers really work? 

To go back to the title of this post, do toe spacers work, or are they just a gimmick?  I just talked about the benefits of toe spacers…but that’s assuming that they affect real change in our toe alignment.

As someone that spent the better part of 30+ years in narrow, tapered shoes, my toes needed some realignment. I’ve used them both passively (when sitting down), and when walking. They’ve especially helped my big toe stay in place as I move through the gait cycle and work on fully engaging that big toe! 

Consistency is key 

Like anything relating to health, it’s all about consistency. They’re not a “hack” that’s going to fix your feet with one wear. They are a useful tool as part of a regimen to improve foot health.  

That regimen must also include foot exercises and shoes that allow for natural alignment (aka barefoot shoes). If you spend all day squishing your toes in a tapered toe box and use the toe spacers at the end of the day, you can see some benefit as this study shows, but you’re likely going to need to make the switch to barefoot shoes to fully restore foot function.  

Start slow, and build up from there

When you start wearing toe spacers, start with about 10-30 minutes a day. I recommend giving your feet a little stretch and massage to warm them up, then put the toe spacers on. As you get more comfortable with them, you can wear them while going on a walk. The more you wear them, the more comfortable they’ll be, and the more progress you’ll see.

Research about toe spacers 

The studies that have involved toe spacers share encouraging conclusions: 

Foot Mobilization and Exercise Program Combined with Toe Separator Improves Outcomes in Women with Moderate Hallux Valgus at 1-Year Follow-up: This study found that patients that were treated with 3 months of foot mobility and exercises combined with a toe spacer experienced less pain, improved range of motion and stronger feet compared to the control group. This wasn’t all due to the toe spacers, but it’s a good sign that they can be a helpful part of treatment. Read more…

Female Athletes’ Foot Changes from Wearing a Foot Orthosis: A Study of Hallux Deviation, Strength, Foot Pressure, and Pain: In this study, 23 athletes that frequently wore restrictive footwear wore Correct Toes toe spacers every evening. The study concluded that the use of toe spacers helped with pain reduction, improvement of strength, and redistribution of foot pressure in female athletes. Read more…

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Best toe spacers 

There is an ever-growing number of toe spacers out on the market. I’ve tried out most styles and most brands, so here’s a rundown of the best options. I’ve broken them out by style as there are generally two main styles of toe spacers.

I. Adjustable toe spacers aka Correct Toes Style 

The first type of toe spacers we’ll talk about are adjustable. They are soft but still a bit structured, and generally known by the brand name that originated this version – Correct Toes. 

Many of these do come in different sizes, so it’s important to get the correct size for your foot.

Correct Toes | $65 

Correct Toes were designed by sports podiatrist and distance runner Dr. Ray McClanahan. Tired of his own reoccurring foot pain and issues, he wanted to create something that would target the root cause of the pain, not just mask it.  

What I like: Correct toes are the most adjustable option, which helps get the most customizable fit and closest to your anatomical toe splay. Correct Toes come in 4 different sizes. You can adjust the space between the big toe and the little toe—I inserted some pressed foam in the spot by the big toe to increase the gap.  

What I don’t: They’re $65. That’s crazy expensive for two little pieces of silicone. They do use medical grade silicone and customer service is available to consult you on the best fit and customizations for your foot. 

Sizing: Correct Toes offer four different sizes. Sizing is recommended based on shoe size.  

My Foot Function  | $35 | KELLY10 for 10% off 

The toe spacers from My Foot Function are also made from medical-grade silicone and use a very similar (if not the exact same) design as the Correct Toes. These are $34. You can use code KELLY10 to get 10% off the toe spacers, as well as any of the foot gear and classes they offer. I’ve tried a few different foot health classes, and My Foot Function has the most comprehensive options and easy to follow videos.  

Amazon Toe Spacers | $10 

Amazon has a knock-off version of Correct Toes. I haven’t tried these ones, though the reviews are decent. The hardest thing about these knock-off versions is that there isn’t a guarantee of consistency or quality, so the ones I order could be different than the ones you order. But for $10 and free returns, it may be worth the risk. 

AliExpress Toe Spacers | $1

I’ve ordered toe spacers that looked like Correct Toes for $0.99 from AliExpress to compare them to the originals…and they felt the exact same. I’ve worn these ones pretty often, and haven’t experienced any issues with durability.  Similar to Amazon though, there is no guarantee that the ones you get will be the same as the ones I received.  

II. Squishy toe spacers 

The next set of toe spacers feel much softer and squishier compared to the more structured Correct Toes. I know it’s not a very technical term, but “squishy” is accurate, so that’s why I’m calling them. 

Many barefoot shoes companies and foot gear companies sell this type. I’ve gathered quite a few, and besides the color, there doesn’t seem to be a difference between then. You can get them in different sizes, but they aren’t adjustable as there isn’t a gap that accommodates something to widen the space. 

What I like: Very soft between the toes 

What I don’t: Not adjustable. For me personally, they put a little more space between my smaller toes than I need, but not quite enough between my big toes. Even with this, I still find them comfortable. 

Remember, its anatomically correct toe splay we’re going for here, not just getting the toes to space as wide as possible. They could be perfect for someone else though; it really just depends on your feet.  

This style does not feel as durable and long-lasting as the harder silicone used by the Correct Toes type of spacers. 

Some companies sell them in a kit with other foot health gear, and you can’t buy them individually. Adding things to your foot health routine like a mobility ball or a resistance band is a great way to make it more effective and challenging. 

Brands that sell the squishy toe spacers: 

Amazon | $10 

Magical Shoes Toe Separators | $14 | KELLY10 for 10% off | Magical Shoes has a “Move Magical” section of their website where they sell other foot health gear 

The Toe Spacer | $20 | KELLY388 for 10% off | The Toe Spacer offers this type in both 5-loop and 4-loop options. I like the 4-loop option as it doesn’t go around your pinky toe. This allows for more movement and splay with your pinky toe. 

The Foot Collective | $22 for Wild Toes kit that includes toe spacers and resistance band | Code KELLY10 for 10% off

III. Other styles of toe spacers 

Earth Runners Toe Spacers | $24 | KELLY10 for 10% off  

These toe spacers only include the four smaller toes as they’re meant to be worn with their sandals. These ones are adjustable between each of the slots. If you only need to focus on the spacing between your smaller toes or you do want to wear them with your Earth Runners, these are a great option.  

Other toe spacers on Amazon 

There are a lot of different styles of toe spacers on Amazon, but I’d recommend sticking with the styles listed above. The other types tend to insert too much space or be much stiffer. 

Toe Socks and Toe Sock spacers 

Toe socks can act as a gentle toe spacer, though they’re not going to correct serious alignment issues. My favorite toe socks are from Injinji. You can find a more extensive list of toe socks here. 

These toe sock separators have a little extra in between and can be a gentle way to spread your toes. 

Toe Shoes 

You can wear your toe separators or toe socks in your wide toe box barefoot shoes, but you can bring this same style to your shoes and opt for toe shoes.  

Vibram FiveFingers offers a very minimal option, almost like a second skin. Peluva offers the toe shoe experience, but with a more cushioned sole.