Is Your Footwear Hurting You?
Put your best “healthy” foot forward
By Roxanne Poon, RN, BS, CPHQ
Housing 25% of the bones in your body, your feet directly affect posture, contribute to proper alignment of your body, and are responsible for supporting and carrying your weight. And the shoes we choose can lead to a multitude of issues. Not only can they hurt our feet, but they can cause pain in the ankles, knees, hips, and back.
According to a study by the American College of Sports Medicine, flip-flops are the most damaging type of shoes, even surpassing high heels. When you walk in flip-flops, specifically by trying to keep them on your feet or avoid injury to the toes, you unconsciously alter your gait, resulting in pain or problems from your foot upwards to your back.
For the students who are very active or involved in sports, the wrong athletic shoe can place additional stress on the joints, ligaments, and tendons, making them more susceptible to injury.
Some Common Foot Ailments Aggravated by Ill-Fitting Shoes
- Calluses/Corns: These can develop as a result of pressure on the skin of the foot as the bones in the feet press against shoes, or when the toes rub against each other.
- Plantar Fasciitis/Heel Pain: The bottom of the heel and arch of the foot can experience pain, often caused by prolonged standing.
- Fungal or Bacterial Infections: Sweat and heat can promote bacteria or fungus growth evidenced by dry, itchy skin, redness, and/or blisters.
- Ingrown Toenails: Improper nail trimming can cause swelling and pain around the nail.
Tips for choosing the right shoe AND the right fit
The American Podiatric Medical Association (APMA) projects that 3 out of 4 Americans will have foot problems at some point in their lives. Their recommendations when looking for shoes include:
- The ideal shoe - 1 ½ to 2 ½ inches heels with padded insoles with plenty of wiggle room for your toes. Ladies – keep the stilettos for special occasions.
- The perfect fit – Make sure the shoes are long enough to avoid your toes from being squashed and wide enough to avoid constricting blood flow or causing undue pressure on your foot. Make sure they feel right and are comfortable and provide adequate cushioning. Your heel should sit properly in the shoe and not ride up and down, each time you walk.
- The right material – synthetic materials trap moisture and heat. Choose breathable materials such as leather, suede or fabric.
- Choose sport-specific shoes especially if playing 2-3 times a week to help prevent injury – some sports may require high ankle support for jumping and landing on hard surfaces, or flexible soles for fast changes of direction, shock absorption for contact with hard surfaces to help minimize impact on the joints
Be good to your feet, take care of them and they will carry you a long way for a very long time.
ROXANNE M. POON IS A REGISTERED NURSE WHO WORKS AS A QUALITY IMPROVEMENT SPECIALIST AT A MAJOR TEACHING HOSPITAL IN NEW JERSEY.