Understanding the Risks Of Poorly-Fitting Shoes
A significant cause of foot pain can be directly related to poorly-fitting shoes. For years, podiatrists have been warning women regarding the dangers of high-heeled shoes that put too much pressure on the toes and cause serious complications such as hammertoes, ingrown toenails, and bunions.
Today, Dr. Ross Cohen of The Foot & Ankle Center of Maryland is sharing information regarding the risks of wearing poorly-fitting shoes.
Our feet can suffer damage even while we’re doing what we think are healthy activities. High-impact exercise can damage different areas of the feet.
Some of the more common injuries and problems may include:
Corns and calluses
Blisters
Knee and ankle problems
While we don’t want to stop doing activities that are good for our general health, it’s important to wear the right shoe to reduce or avoid these problems.
Signs that your shoes may not fit well:
You have corns, ingrown toenails or bunions. These painful and sometimes incapacitating conditions often begin as calluses or blisters, so pay close attention and correct your footwear before things worsen.
Your shoes become uncomfortable as the day goes on. Our feet swell throughout the day and what felt fine in the morning may feel uncomfortable later. This is why it’s better to shop for, and try on footwear toward the end of the day.
Your feet, especially your arches, are hurting at the end of the day. In many cases, people think foot pain is caused by shoes that are too small but being too large can also be an issue. Having to constantly tighten the muscles along the bottom of your foot to keep them from sliding around can lead to an overuse injury, like plantar fasciitis.
The shoe shows signs of uneven wear. If your shoes show signs of uneven wear, they may not be the best choice and may even be damaging your feet over time.
With age, there tends to be a gradual widening of our feet, which means that you may need to buy a larger, wider shoe. It’s important to have your shoe size regularly checked by a podiatrist and not assume that you will always be comfortable in the same size shoe you’ve been wearing.
Why take chances that you might be wearing shoes that are worsening your foot problems? If you are experiencing any of the issues above, it’s essential that you have your feet checked and measured by your podiatrist. Contact the office of Dr. Ross Cohen of The Foot & Ankle Center of Maryland today to schedule your next visit. You can call the office at (410) 761-3501 or request an appointment online.