Incorrectly Fitted Shoes

  You may be wearing incorrectly fitted shoes and simply not be aware of this. Whatever the circumstance, here is how you can help to ensure your shoes fit correctly. 

How do you know if your shoes fit correctly?

Here are some tips to help ensure your shoes fit correctly.

• Are you in pain? Pain is the most obvious signal that your shoes are ill-fitting – does taking your shoes off give you relief? This is your biggest clue!
• Is there enough space between your longest toe and the end of the shoe? Look for around 1.5 centimetres of space ideally. Remember, your big toe may not always be your longest toe.
• Have you tested a range of surfaces? Check how your shoes move with your feet when walking on carpet, tiled areas or other surfaces – your heels shouldn’t move inside your shoes on any surface.
• Have you looked at the widest part of the shoe? This should match where the ball of your foot sits, that is, the widest part just before your toes.
• Have you had your feet measured by a professional? Ideally have your feet measured before buying shoes – preferably at the end of the day, as this is when your feet are at their largest. 

 What ailments can be caused by incorrectly fitted shoes? 

Ingrown toenails - compression of the skin that surrounds the toenail (sulcus) can cause the tissue to become inflamed or increase the curvature of the toenail that can cause it to place pressure upon the sulcus.

Heel or forefoot pain – you may experience a deep ache or shooting pain in the heel or burning under the balls of the feet (metatarsal heads)

Bunions – can present as a swelling or deformity of the first and fifth joints of the big and 5th toe(s).

Blisters – can be caused by a range of reasons, but a friction blister is usually caused by tight shoes that create irritation through the foot rubbing against the shoe.

Metatarsalgia (common term used for numerous ailments of the forefoot including intermetatarsal bursitis, plantar plate injury, neuroma – this condition is when the ball of the foot becomes so inflamed it can be unbearable to stand or walk.

Corns and calluses – can be caused by continuous friction between the foot and the shoe, which is entirely preventable by wearing correctly fitting shoes.