Do you feel that your toes will break every time you go for a walk? Do you come home with blistered foot every time you go for a run? Are you unable to comprehend the reason for severe pain in your knees? If your answer is mostly yes, then you might be wearing wrong shoes. Unknowingly we invite a lot of health problems in our life. We do something like that only when we wear wrong, ill-fitted shoes.
Problems that may arise due to wearing wrong shoes
Athlete’s foot
This is one of the most common foot injuries that occur due to wearing wrong shoes. It is a kind of fungal infection that occurs due to wearing too tight shoes which causes sweating in feet. It causes scaling, flaking and itching in the affected area. It mostly occurs in between the toes.
Bunions
Formation of lumps in your toe is bunions. The shoes which are narrow in the front push your big toe towards the other toes, making them press against other toes. In this condition, your big toe is bit slanted.
Hammer toe
In this toes start to look like a claw. Due to wearing narrow shoes, the joints of the toes get dislocated.
Metatarsalgia
Wearing wrong shoes can lead to permanent pain in your foot. This condition is called matatarsalgia. Your foot can get inflammation in this.
Collapsed arches
When you wear shoes with no internal support, it can give your legs continuous pain. In this condition, your archers get collapsed.
High impact
When you wear heels, it puts a lot of pressure on your knees. This affects your body posture and alignment.
Lower body fatigue
When you wear wrong shoes your feet can get tired easily. Once your feet are tired your body easily feels it. This heavily affects your lower body and makes your knee prone to all kind of injury.
Overpronation
It is a posture deformity that occurs due wearing ill-fitted shoes. In this, your knee turns inward whenever you take a step. This usually happens if you are wearing shoes that do not have strong midsoles.
Tendon strain
Tendon is the tissue that attaches muscles to bone. Wearing shoes that do not fit properly puts a lot of pressure on your knees, this continuous pressure on your knees can give you choric pain. Initially, the pain is not very noticeable but over time it becomes severe.
Types of shoes
Shoes can be classified into following categories that are:
Running shoes
If you are planning to buy a shoe, the first thing you need to decide is its purpose. Running shoes as the name suggests are best for the purpose of running or jogging. These shoes are generally well cushioned and can absorb shock. Ideally, these shoes should have excellent heels control.
Walking shoes
Most of the people buy shoes for walking purpose only. The walking shoes should be light-weighted. It should be well cushioned near the heels to prevent any kind of injury.
Other forms of shoes are tennis shoes and basketball shoes.
Tips to choose right shoes
Go for well-cushioned shoes
Shoes that are cushioned properly act as shock absorber. They prevent your feet and knees from getting any kind of injury. When you run or simply walk in speed, your feet are subjected to a lot of jerk. The shoes which are well cushioned, especially at heels, act as a guard against any kind of injury by providing firm support to your feet.
Opt for shoes with firm midsoles
When you go shopping for shoes, don’t just settle for shoes with beautiful body pay attention to its sole too. Shoes with strong midsoles help you to ignore knee pain and injury. If your shoes do not have firm midsoles, your knees and feet will bend inwards every time you will take a step especially if you have the problem of a low arch.
Choose the shoes that fit you properly
Most of us ignorantly wear shoes of the wrong size throughout our lives. You should buy shoes according to your foot type if your feet are wide, then go for shoes with wide endings. Buying narrow shoes will cause you pain and will give you severe injury. Never buy too loose shoes either as it will become difficult to walk in those. Buying too tight shoes will give you blisters or can dislocate your toe bones.
Choose shoes with proper arch support
Arch support is highly important for people having a flat foot. This helps you maintain proper balance in your body. This also absorbs additional shock and takes pressure off the places which are in pain.
Never buy shoes in hurry
Going to a store and buying the first shoe you see is not a very romantic idea. Make sure you have time when you go to buy a shoe. Try all the options available and then decide which of you will take.
Walk in your shoes
Put the shoes on and take a short walk, if you feel comfortable only then buy it. Never just try them while you are sitting and buy it.
Know why you want the shoes
First thing that you should do before going to buy a shoe is to decide why you want a shoe. Is it for running or for walking or because you want to play some sport. Once you know your requirements you can tell the salesperson at the store about it and you can get proper assistance.
Some other things to remember
- When you try the shoe pay attention to it when the shoe bends. It should ideally bend with your feet.Check that it does not get twisted every time you walk fast.
- Check whether the toe region is big enough for your all toes to fit or not.
- Check whether the heels region is properly cushioned or not.