5 Foot Problems Caused By Ill-Fitting Shoes

About 25% of adults experience foot pain at any given time. One of the root causes of foot pain is shoes that don’t fit properly. This is an issue that can easily be rectified by purchasing shoes that are roomy and comfortable.

Babak Kosari, DPM and his team want you to be aware of the kinds of issues that ill-fitting shoes can cause your feet to have.

Common foot problems 

Wearing the wrong shoes can produce lots of different foot health problems. These are five of the most common.

Bunions

A bunion is a swollen bump that forms at the base of the big toe. Bunions typically cause the big toe to slant inward toward the other toes. They will often cause swelling and pain, which can make it difficult to walk or put any pressure on your affected foot.  

Hammertoes

Hammertoes occur when your middle toes stay in a curled position rather than lying flat. This can result in symptoms like bruising, open sores, and calluses on the affected toes. It can also cause pain in the ball of your foot or joint swelling.

Ingrown toenails

Ingrown toenails are a condition in which the toenail starts growing into the skin around it. They are mostly commonly found on the big toe. Ingrown toenails can result in pain and tenderness on your toe and can even lead to infection, if left untreated.

Bursitis

A bursa is a fluid-filled sac that cushions your joints. Your foot only has one bursa, but it’s common for others to form when you injure your foot. When these bursae become inflamed, they become quite painful and make it hard to walk.

Corns

Corns are hardened layers of skin that form when there’s constant friction and pressure put on your toes.

Though all these issues can be caused by other things, shoes that don’t fit you well are most often a contributing factor.

The solution

The best way to avoid developing any of these foot problems is to invest in shoes that fit you the way they should.

Make sure that before searching for that perfect fitting pair of shoes that you measure your feet to make sure you’re buying the right size. It’s also good to look for the following characteristics in a pair of shoes:

• A roomy toe box, preferably one that is wide, deep, and square-shaped
• Good arch support that provides plenty of cushion
• Removable insoles so you can add your own custom ones, if necessary 

If you’ve been struggling with any foot problems or foot pain in general, it’s good to figure out if your shoes are the culprit. If you’d like more information on how to find the best shoes for you, you can call one of our offices or book an appointment online.