This time every year a lot of us will start to devise a New Year’s Resolution which we have some chance of keeping. In a lot of cases, pain can derail our New Year’s Resolutions if not taken care of.
Preventing current pain and future problems can help you stay on the right track. If your feet are suffering, even occasionally, there is a simple solution for your current problems and the possibility of preventing them from occurring in the future.
We tend to ignore our feet when there are no issues with them, not understanding that a bit of preventive medicine can stop issues from starting in the first place. Things like keeping your feet supported all the time. You might not consider the time you spend on your feet at home for instance. Around the house, barefoot or warm squishy slippers are very popular options.
You spend almost as much time trudging around the house each day as you do at work. You put much thought into your selection of footwear for outside the house, why not give at least some consideration to what you wear for the other half of your life. Consider wearing supportive slippers, sandals or indoor shoes around the house to give your feet more support at home.
The common reasons for having foot problems are relatively few, and even those few are not insurmountable. People with flat feet, or those who over pronate are the biggest group, those with high arches are well back in the pack. There are other reasons, but these are the major contributors to visits to foot specialists such as Canadian Certified Pedorthists.
How can footwear contribute to foot problems?
Firstly, there is fashion. Shoes that are geared towards fashion may not factor in the proper support and comfort for the feet. Things are changing though. They have started to design footwear with support in mind, and the realization that different foot types need different approaches.
Next, let’s talk about the shoe fit. Don’t always buy your shoes based on the same size every time. The shoe manufacturing industry will have a different sized shoe for each company. The result is that although there are standard numbers used for sizing, there are not standard sizing for those numbers. Each shoe size will vary slightly in length, width, circumference, toe shape, depth of toe and instep.
In addition to different shoe brands, each shoe style (runner, boot, sandal, etc.) will fit differently and wear slightly differently. Also, the same style shoe from the same manufacturer may fit slightly differently due to changes in suppliers of materials and slight manufacturing discrepancies over time. Frequently models will be changed slightly for style cost and ease of manufacturing.
With this in mind, it can be hard to buy shoes online. The exception to this may be when you order the exact same shoe. However, it may not fit the exact same as your old one because manufacturers constantly make those small tweaks to their products for style and cost.
Another factor to keep in mind, is that your old pair of shoes have been worn in and grooved to the shape of your foot and the way you walk. A new pair straight out of the box may not feel as good as your old pair.
In addition to the proper footwear, additional support may be beneficial to prevent pain from developing. Especially if you are changing up your routines in the new year, your body may need extra help to prevent the body from overworking.
If you need help, find your local Canadian Certified Pedorthist at pedorthic.ca.
HAPPY NEW YEAR
Written by Jaimie McVean, C. Ped (C)
