A few days after my appointment, I told a friend how frustrated I felt.

We were making plans for the weekend, and I’d asked if we could skip our usual walk. My foot had been bothering me all morning.

“Have you tried toe spacers?” she asked.

I told her I’d tried creams and different shoes — but nothing like that.

She mentioned a pair she used at home: HeyToes Aligners.

“They haven’t made my bunion disappear,” she said. “But I find them comfortable. I usually put them on while I’m reading or watching TV.”

Later that evening, she sent me the link.

I looked at the photos for a while. They seemed so simple, and after everything I’d already tried, I wasn’t expecting much.

But I was curious enough to give them a go.

I ordered a pair that night.