If you have pain in your feet, no day goes exactly the way you want it to. Youmight have corns or callouses, ingrown toenails or something else. Have you ever stopped to consider that perhaps you aren’t wearing the right shoes? There are consequences to wearing shoes that don’t fit well. Yes, you wear shoes to protect your feet and to give your whole outfit a sense of style. But you can do all of that and enjoy better foot health with a good fit. Here are some things that can go wrong with a bad fit.
Peripheral Neuropathy is a condition that often can’t be reversed that makes your feet feel like they are on pins and needles. It’s painful and can be caused or even worsened by shoes that don’t fit well. If the shoes are too tight, they can put pressure on the nerves and progress the condition.
Of course, one thing that goes wrong when you wear shoes that don’t fit is having foot pain, but there can also be deformities. There could be things like hammer toe, corns, calluses, and so on that are caused by rubbing and things that could be remedied by wearing shoes that fit well.
If your shoes are too short or narrow, the extra pressure on your toe area could lead to the edge of your toenail growing into your skin. That can be very painful and make you wish you could wear sandals all the time. It can also become infected. Don’t cut your nails too short and make sure the shoes fit well.
You can even see a decrease in your overall quality of life because of your shoes. When your feet hurt, you aren’t comfortable and that family function, the big work presentation, or even taking a walk with friends just isn’t as nice as it could be. Foot pain can lead to reduced mobility, falls, and plenty of other things you don’t want to happen.
Keep in mind that your shoe size can change over time. Don’t assume you are the same size shoe once you reach adulthood and your feet seem to stop growing. Your tendons can relax over time and make your feet wider. Medical conditions can change the size of your feet. And during and even after pregnancy, feet often increase in size.
If you notice bruising on your toenail, blisters, calluses, or skin irritation on your feet, your shoes may be too small. Have your feet properly measured and go with whatever size they tell you is right. There could also be differences between brands. You might be an 10 in one brand and an 10 ½ in another brand.
It’s worth keeping tabs on your foot size and health to make them look and feel good for the long haul.
