After surgery on my big toes to relieve the pain of osteoarthritis, the doctor shortened my big toes and now my second toe on each foot is painful and walking has become difficult. Of course measuring shoes to the length of the second toe will help. Shoes can contribute to the development of a bunion but are generally not the sole reason. Usually a flexible hypermobile foot causes tendons to pull the big toe towards the others while the head of the first metatarsal becomes prominent. Hypermobility of the first metatarsal also contributes to bunions.
Bunions tend to get worse as the joints sublux and become arthritic.
My feet are always dry and cracked and I often get small blisters on the bottom and heels. What do you suggest I do to combat this. I don't think it's athletes foot because they don't smell bad. You may have one. A painless skin culture would help determine if you had a bacterial fungal or yeast infection.