Your feet work hard for you. Here’s an affordable way to show them some love in return.
Expert consulted: Jerry Francois
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We, as runners, sometimes take our feet for granted—until they start to give us problems. But taking care of them is important for stability and mobility. A key, yet easy-to-overlook, consideration in that is toe separation.
Our feet are built to spread and bend as we walk barefoot, but we spend most of our time is spent wearing shoes. This causes our toes to begin shifting closer together over time. For some this leads to issues like hammer toes, bunions, and severe callusing. Toe separators offer a simple, affordable remedy for keeping your toes from crowding and keeping your feet comfortable.
“Toe separators can help alleviate foot pain by creating more proper toe alignment and reducing pressure on certain areas of the foot,” says Madeline Garcia, a National Academy of Sports Medicine-certified personal trainer and the founder of The Mobility Bar. While this is true for everyone, runners are especially hard on their feet and often spend hours in lightweight running shoes with narrow toes designed to support their stride. Garcia says, “This alone can cause a lack of ankle stability outside of running.”
You can wear them while stretching to strengthen the tiny muscles in your feet, or wear them on rest days to spread your toes out to a more natural distance to help prevent damage and alleviate pain. They’re simple devices, but picking the right ones and using them correctly requires a bit of know-how.
For intel on method we spoke with Garcia, who is also certified in corrective exercise and barefoot movement, and Jerry Francois (also known as Coach J), the running coach who founded Goldfinger Track Club in Brooklyn, New York.
The Best Toe Separators
- Best Overall: Yoga Toes Gems Gel Toe Stretcher & Toe Separator
- Best for Active Use: The Toe Spacer 5-Loop Toe Spacer
- Best for Extended Wear: Correct Toes Toe Spacers
- Best for One Toe: ZenToes Gel Big Toe Alignment Spacer (4-Pack)
- Best Variety Pack: Dr. JK Original ToePal Toe Separators
What Are Toe Separators?
Toe separators use firm but pliable materials to create space between each of your toes, or between specific toes, to counteract the effects of squishing your feet into shoes all day. According to Garcia, they can help prevent “toe deformities such as bunions, plantar fasciitis, or neuroma,” and improve ankle and knee stability for runners with muscular imbalances surrounding the ankle and knee joint to improve stability.
Materials and Design
Toe separators are made from felt, foam, or silicone gel. Almost all of our selections are made of silicone because it’s more durable than foam and easier to clean than felt.
They come in low-profile designs for wearing with shoes, as well as bulkier options that are great for having your feet up on rest days. There are four-toe and five-toe options—the only difference is whether your pinky toe is encased or free to move. Four-toe options are good for mobility stretches or yoga, five-toe separators are more secure for workouts or wearing throughout the day.
Specific issues, like bunions or hammer toes, may benefit from a single toe spacer that focuses on your big toe. These are generally worn around the second toe and push the big toe out while leaving the rest of your toes as they are. Options like our Best Sock Style are good for both yoga and relaxing.
How to Use Toe Separators
“We do not recommend wearing toe spacers for a long period of time,” Garcia says. They can help you build foot stability and improve toe alignment, but they aren’t a magic fix. Mobility comes from muscle activation and range of motion, Garcia says, and she suggests incorporating barefoot mobility exercises into stretch routines when you aren’t using your toe separators.
Both Garcia and Coach J suggest the age-old advice of listening to your body. Toe separators are a corrective device that are forcing your toes into a different position than they’re used to—that means your toes might hurt at first, or get sore if you wear them for too long to start.
Some people trying them for the first time experience pain or discomfort while others feel immediate relief from chronic foot pain. Don’t get discouraged if you feel discomfort at first, though: You can gradually work your way up to wearing toe separators for longer periods of time.
Start with five to ten minutes at a time and then add on as you get used to them. Those with some experience can wear them during yoga, stretches, and exercises to get a feel for the toes’ natural splay while in motion. The majority of people should wear them in shorter spurts seated, preferably with your feet up to get better circulation.
When they fit correctly, they should gently stretch your toes—not cause excessive pressure. Most are one-size-fits-all, but one of our recommendations (like the Softstar Correct Toes spacers) comes in various sizes, including large for people with big feet.
How We Selected
We took the insight provided by Garcia and Coach J to pare down our options to those with excellent materials, durability, and design. We then looked at customer reviews to see which products were durable and easy to use. I also spoke with friends in my running group and runners in the office to see how they felt when first trying them out and if they noticed a difference after using them. The products we chose range from those that can be worn a couple minutes a day for casual correcting as well as ones that can stay in place during stretching and short workouts.
1
Best Overall
Yoga Toes Gems Gel Toe Stretcher and Toe Separator
Pros
Soft material- Contoured shape for comfort
- Easy to clean
Cons
- Bulky
These separators are meant to be worn for 15 minutes to an hour at a time, so don’t worry about trying to shove them into your shoes for all-day wear. Because of this, they are a bit thicker than models designed to be worn with shoes, and they will give your toes a bit more of a stretch than those you’re meant to wear all day.
They come in one size but the design is form fitting and shaped to the contours of your feet and toes. They are still plenty comfortable because of the soft gel material.
Key Specs
| Materials | Hypoallergenic silicone gel |
|---|---|
| Sizes | One size |
Pros
- Low-profile design
- 30-day trial period
- Available in different sizes
Cons
If you want a toe spacer that you can wear during the work day, it will have to be one that will also fit inside your shoes. These spacers are not only comfortable and effective, but they're also super low-profile, making them easy to fit inside your favorite pair of sneakers.
They are made from a soft, comfortable gel that will not rub or blister, and they come with both a 30-day trial period and a 90-day warranty.
Key Specs
| Materials | Hypoallergenic silicone gel |
|---|---|
| Sizes | XS–L |
Pros
- Slips over any one toe
- Available in different skin-tone shades
Cons
- May discolor over time
Those wanting to alleviate discomfort from a hammer toe or bunion only need to create space between the big and second toes. This separator encircles the second toe with a pad that extends towards the big toe, creating space for a natural alignment.
It’s made from a soft gel that’s comfortable enough to wear all day, and it is low-profile enough that it will fit in most shoes. It’s available in different colors to blend with skin tones, which make it less noticeable if you’re wearing it with sandals.
Key Specs
| Materials | Hypoallergenic silicone gel |
|---|---|
| Sizes | One size |
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Pros
- Available in 4- and 5-loop options
- Secure fit
Cons
- Top band may be too tight for some
These toe separators are made of silicone which provides a bit of stretch while still giving you a secure fit. They’re meant to sit tight across the toes to stay in place while running, doing HIIT workouts, or dynamic stretching. They’re sleek enough to be worn with or without shoes.
We spoke with someone who primarily uses these for lifting and is starting to pick up running. He’s found a noticeable improvement in stability when squatting and can wear them while cross training on the bike or elliptical. He’s working his way up to wearing them on easy runs.
Key Specs
| Materials | Hypoallergenic silicone gel |
|---|---|
| Sizes | One size |
Pros
- Comes with both 4- and 5-loop options
- Fits large feet
Cons
- 5-loop option provides less separation than others
These toe separators come in a four-pack with both a looped and open option. They are both made from a soft, comfortable gel, and are great for stretching out your toes at home. The looped option will give you a bit of extra stability, while the open option is great for yoga or stretching.
Customers with large feet who typically have trouble finding toe separators that fit were surprised to find these fit well.
Key Specs
| Materials | Hypoallergenic silicone gel |
|---|---|
| Sizes | One size |
Pros
- Easy to wear with shoes
- Fits small feet and short toes
Cons
- Provides less separation than silicone options
These toe separators swap gel for plush pads that sit in between each toe and help to gently separate them. This mild separation coupled with the sock-like design makes them a good option to use during stretches and mobility work.
They are not as aggressive as a gel option so they’re a good choice for those trying toe separators for the first time. While gentle, they’re still plenty durable as customers say they hold up to multiple washes and wear.
Key Specs
| Materials | Cotton-acrylic blend |
|---|---|
| Sizes | One size |
Danny Perez
Commerce Editor
Danny Perez is a Commerce Editor for Popular Mechanics with a focus on men's style, gear, and home goods. Recently, he was coordinator of partnership content at another product journalism outlet. Prior to that, he was a buyer for an independent men's shop in Houston, Texas, where he learned all about what makes great products great. He enjoys thrifting for 90s Broadway tees and vintage pajama sets. His spare time is occupied by watching movies and running to impress strangers on Strava.
Expert consulted:Jerry Francois
Jerry Francois, also known as Coach J, got into long distance running after participating in college sports. He’s since founded Goldfinger Track Club, a Brooklyn running group that focuses on inclusivity. Francois is a 2:41 marathoner and has over a decade of long-distance running (and because of that, injury management) experience.
