The shoes you wear can have a surprising impact on your well-being. If you want to avoid sore feet, it’s time to throw away those flip flops and stilettos.
How Ill-Fitting Shoes Can Cause Sore Feet
Our feet are the structural foundation of our body, supporting not only our weight but also our well-being. Even seemingly minor foot ailments, if denied the chance to heal, can cause ongoing impairment, leading to an inactive lifestyle (and its associated risks), as well as falls or injuries.
Yet studies suggest that at least half of us undermine these anchors of our health with ill-fitting footwear.
Overly tight or narrow shoes, which are most likely to be worn by women, can cause callouses and bunions, bony bumps at the base of the big toe that are often accompanied by swelling and soreness. Another staple feature of women’s fashion, high heels, are associated with corns, blisters and ingrown toenails. If you like their style, consider saving them for special occasions and opt for a wider heel or a wedge rather than a stiletto.
Meanwhile, shoes with pointy toe boxes or tips that crowd your feet can force your toes to curl up instead of lie flat. This can lead to hammertoe, a bending deformity in one or more of your smaller toes that leads to difficulty walking and sore feet.
