 Year after year, your feet bear your weight, take a pounding as you run or walk, and squeeze into shoes that are too small, too high, and too tight. It’s no wonder they hurt.
While getting older and weighing too much can increase your chances for foot problems, poorly fitting shoes are often the culprit. With online shopping growing in popularity, many adults are purchasing shoes that look fashionable but don’t properly fit their foot shape and size. Women especially tend to buy shoes that are too small. The result? Painful foot deformities that may require surgery to correct.
Foot pain is often caused by these conditions:
- Bunions—a bump where the big toe joins the foot
- Hammer toes—toe joints that curl up instead of lying flat
- Calluses and corns—thickened skin from friction or pressure
- Morton’s neuroma—a pinched nerve that typically develops between the third and fourth toes
Prevention
Not all foot pain can be prevented, but these steps may help:
- Purchase comfortable shoes that fit well. Look for good arch support and cushioning. Don’t buy tight shoes expecting them to stretch.
- Replace athletic shoes often, about once a year.
- Increase physical activity gradually to avoid overuse injuries.
- Keep your feet dry to prevent athlete’s foot and skin break down.
- Maintain a healthy weight to lighten the load on your feet.
Self-Care
Try these practical remedies to help ease your pain:
- Wear a custom molded orthotic that offers arch support.
- Don’t wear shoes that don’t fit. Your best bets are those with a square or round toe box (not pointed) and heels no higher than 2.25 inches.
- Soak your feet to soften calluses.
- Apply ice packs and take anti-inflammatory medications to reduce pain and swelling after an activity that increases foot pain.
- Elevate a painful foot and reduce activity until pain goes away.
“If your foot pain is not subsiding, do not wait too long to see a foot and ankle specialist,” advises SMG Podiatric Surgeon, Marco Ucciferri, DPM. “When self-care isn’t enough, the care of a specialist can get you an accurate diagnosis and proper treatment plan, helping you avoid complications and get you back to your normal routine.”
For more information, visit the American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society at
www.aofas.org or the American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons at www.acfas.org.
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