New Shoes Rubbing You the Wrong Way?

“Behind every beautiful thing, there’s been some kind of pain.”-“Not Dark Yet” by Bob Dylan

The common experience of wearing a new pair of shoes probably wasn’t the inspiration of Bob Dylan’s hit song “Not Dark Yet,” but we can agree that the lyric sums up what it feels like wearing new shoes. At first, we find ourselves excited to wear those new, cute shoes and show them off to everyone. Then we regret wearing them a few hours into the day after you start to experience some pain–whether that be from a couple of blisters on the heels, a strap that keeps rubbing against your toes the wrong way, or the shoes end up fitting a tad too tight all around.

Whatever the case may be, new shoes can put you at risk for several foot or ankle-related issues if you choose to ignore the pain at the expense of wearing cute, tight-fitting shoes. Take a look below at some of the common issues that may develop from wearing new, ill-fitting shoes.

• Blisters: Blisters commonly occur from a tight-fitting shoe rubbing against your heel constantly. When you start to feel a sharp sting along the heel, the skin is irritated and should be treated to offer quick relief.
• Ingrown nails: An ingrown toenail usually occurs in the big toe when the nail is cut too short near the tip of the toe, and the nail digs itself into the skin. The pain may be aggravated when you put your foot in a shoe that is too tight in the toe box, causing your toes to be pressed against one another, and resulting in more uncomfortable pressure, inflammation and nail pain.
• Bunions: A bunion is a bony knob that protrudes from the base of the big toe and is widely attributed to wearing tight, pointed-toe shoes.
• Corns: A corn is a type of callus that forms when tight shoes place constant pressure on the skin. Corns can form in between the toes where they rub together, so it is best to wear shoes with a roomy toe box.
• Hammertoes & Crossover Toes: If you’re squeezing your foot to fit in a shoe that is too small, chances are your toes are not lying flat in the shoe. Instead, your toe joints may bend up (hammertoe) and/or the toes may overlap (crossover toe) from the constant pressure.
• Diabetic foot issues: As people with diabetes often suffer from nerve damage (peripheral neuropathy) in the foot and aren’t able to feel skin irritations or cuts, it is very important that they not wear too tight of shoes. Tight shoes may result in any of the complications above and could lead to serious infections if not addressed right away.

A majority of these issues can be resolved by wearing a better-fitting and more comfortable pair of shoes. Look for shoes with a wider toe box, and make sure there is enough room for your entire foot to fit comfortably in the shoe. Simply put: if the shoe fits tight, it’s not right for you.

If your new shoes keep rubbing you the wrong way, you may need to consider getting new, better-fitting shoes. Don’t let ill-fitting shoes be the culprit of your foot pain no matter how cute the shoes look. If pain persists, let the team at Advanced Foot & Ankle Specialists of Arizona help. Give us a call at 480-963-9000 to schedule your appointment today.