Are YogaToes Good for You?

According to claims on the YogaToes Web site, this patented product can help to improve and prevent common foot problems, including hammertoes, bunions, plantar fasciitis, crossed toes, poor circulation and corns. Although most people are not born with foot problems, 75 percent of Americans will experience foot problems at some point, reports the Illinois Podiatric Medical Association. In fact, almost 20 percent of the U.S. population experiences an average of 1.4 foot problems per year.

Evaluation

• In a report for NBCNews.com evaluating YogaToes, tech editor Helen A.S. Popkin interviewed Dr. Carol Frey of UCLA and the West Coast Sports Medicine Foundation, who has used YogaToes with postoperative patients. Dr. Frey notes that the key goal of YogaToes or any product with a similar design is to stretch the toes adequately without causing pain. Frey says that YogaToes can help prevent or relieve mild corns or bunion pain, though she advises that they would not be helpful for people with moderate to severe foot pain. To be safe, consult a doctor before trying a new product.

How They Work

• With the intention of realigning and correcting foot structure, YogaToes spread and stretch the toes — the opposite experience of spending a long day in tight, pointy shoes. With individual openings for each toe, YogaToes encourage our smallest digits to stretch in three directions: apart from one another, away from the ball of the foot, and down from the top of the foot. To slip on YogaToes more easily, simply moisten them first.

Variations: Foot Alignment Socks

• Foot alignment socks rely on similar principles and share common aims with products such as YogaToes. Patented in 2010, foot alignment socks are designed with four separators between the toes and aim to help alleviate minor foot problems. Like YogaToes, these socks stretch the toes and counteract the compression caused by some shoes. Unlike YogaToes, which surround the toes only, foot alignment socks more closely resemble regular socks but leave the toes exposed.

Trending Now: Toe Socks

• Attention to the toes has started trends in pop culture. The U.K.’s Daily Mail reported in March 2013 that actress Vanessa Hudgens was spotted wearing ToeSox in her LA Pilates class. The socks sold out on a major online retailer shortly thereafter, reported Bianca London. With about one-quarter of all the bones in the body located in the feet, it’s no wonder that this is an often-aggravated area. It’s about time that toes get some high-profile attention.