Phase 3: Living A Toe Spaced Life

The final post in a series on toe spacing:

• Do I Need Toe Spacers?
• Phase 1: Getting Started With Toe Spacers
• Phase 2: Working Toe Spacers Into Your Daily Life
• Phase 3: Living A Toe Spaced Life

The ultimate goal of toe spacing is to reach a point where your feet maintain their natural alignment and function without needing toe spacers. So when you’re “done” toe spacing is ultimately up to you: it depends on your goals and your feet’s unique journey.

When Are You “Done” Toe Spacing?

1. If You’re Addressing a Bunion and/or Looking To Achieve A More Natural Foot Shape:

• Your journey may take several months or even years depending on where your foot was when you started.  For a bunion, success might mean reducing your Hallux Valgus angle to a "normal" range (see below) and experiencing less or no pain.

2. If Your Goal Is Functional Improvements (i.e., Strength and Balance):

• The timeline is flexible. Once you feel stable, strong, and confident in your feet, you may decide you’re ready to stop using spacers.

 

Measurements to Track Progress

Tracking progress with measurable targets can help you decide when to phase out your toe spacers. Here are some key benchmarks:

Measurement	How To Measure	Target
Hallux Valgus Angle	See 'Motion' for how to measure the angle. Use a mobile app (iOS; Android) - take a picture of your foot, top down, while standing.	Less than 15 degrees (considered “normal”)
Single-Leg Balance Test	Stand barefoot on one leg on a flat surface. Measure how long you can balance with eyes open and closed.	Under 40 years: 45 seconds (eyes open), 15 seconds (eyes closed) 40-49 years: 42 seconds (eyes open), 13 seconds (eyes closed) 50-59 years: 41 seconds (eyes open), 8 seconds (eyes closed) 60-69 years: 32 seconds (eyes open), 4 seconds (eyes closed) 70-79 years: 22 seconds (eyes open), 3 seconds (eyes closed) (source)

What’s Next?

Keep wearing your barefoot shoes! By now, your old shoes likely feel uncomfortable anyway. Remember, the only way to sustain your progress is to avoid cramping your feet back into narrow, restrictive footwear.

Most importantly, enjoy your new feet!

Have Questions?

We’d love to hear about your progress and help with any questions. Reach out to us anytime at info@kytte.com.