1. Too Tight Shoes Can Make Bunions Worse
Bunions make their presence known as a lump or bump at
the base of your big toe, on the side of your foot. Bunions
occur when the big toe is pushed out of position, causing it
to press against your other toes. Not surprisingly, ill-fitting
and tight shoes are often to blame. Bunions are brought
about by years of squashing feet into tight shoes and can
be extremely painful if left untreated.
Bunions are mostly a problem for women. In fact,
according to the American Academy of Orthopaedic
Surgeons, 90% of all bunion sufferers are women. And
over half of all American women have bunions.
Padding and taping are the first steps in a treatment plan,
along with medication and physical therapy. Sometimes
surgery, which can cost upwards of $5,000, is the only
option. The procedure involves breaking the toe joint and
realigning it with the rest of your foot.
Victoria Beckham is one of the celebrities who has suffered
for her love of high-fashion shoes. She packs her painful
feet with ice at the end of the day and is faced with the
prospect of donning a pair of sensible flats or having an
operation to relieve her bunions.
2. Heel Pain Is A Common Danger From Too Tight Shoes
According to the American Podiatric Medical Association’s
2009 survey, 43 percent of Americans experienced heel
pain in that year. Six in 10 of these people reported having
had trouble with daily activities due to heel pain. According
to surgeons at the 2010 Annual Scientific Conference of the
American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons in Las Vegas,
heel pain is the most common reason people seek medical
help for their feet. The heel bone is the largest of 26 bones
in the foot and the heel boasts more than 100 tendons,
muscles, and ligaments running through it.
Heel pain is a common problem caused by too tight shoes,
as well as from bruising resulting from injury, or foot stress
due to weight gain.
Heel pain can occur at the front, back or bottom of the
heel. Wearing correctly fitting shoes, choosing the right
shoes to exercise in and changing your shoes when they
show signs of wear can all help prevent this painful
condition.
3. Too Tight Shoes Can Cause Deformed Toes
The scarily-named condition hammertoe gives your pinkies
a claw-like appearance. Hammertoe is a deformity of the
toes that is caused by bending the toe joints out of shape
so they curl up instead of lying flat. Wearing shoes that are
too short and cramp your toes can cause hammertoe.
People with diabetes are also prone to the condition.
Change to loose fitting shoes to protect the feet and reduce
pressure on the joints and visit your physician to cure the
condition. Kids should have regular changes to their shoes
as their feet grow, in order to avoid toe deformity that can
be crippling in adult life.
4. Too Tight Shoes Put Diabetics At Risk for Ulcers and
Amputation
Diabetics are at risk of serious foot injuries such as ulcers,
which can create wounds that sufferers do not feel due to
a diminished skin sensation. Diabetes makes wounds heal
more slowly. Ulcers can become infected if left untreated
and the resulting foot injury can lead to amputation.
According to a 2010 study conducted by Thomson Reuters
in association with the American Podiatric Medical
Association, 30 percent of people with diabetes over age
40 have diabetes-related foot problems and about a
quarter of diabetic foot ulcers eventually require
amputation. But researchers discovered the power of
preventative measures. Diabetes ulcer sufferers who saw
both a podiatrist and a specialist medical doctor during the
year before an ulcer diagnosis was made were much less
likely to need amputation - up to 31 percent less likely.
Poorly fitting shoes can play a big part in the problem. It’s
even more important if you suffer from diabetes that you
make sure you get your feet measured before every new
pair of shoes and choose a style with plenty of cushioning
and space for the toes.
[Update:
In fact, wearing tight shoes if you are diabetic can be the
triggering event that causes the development of "diabetic
foot syndrome", a German study reports.
A 2004 study from the Klinikum München-Schwabing in
München-Schwabing, Germany described so-called diabetic
foot syndrome --which includes a range of progressive
worse foot problems from ulcers to nerve damage
(neuropathy) to amputation, These foot problems often
start from certain "triggering factors", including wearing
too tight shoes, introduction of foreign infections to your
feet, inadequate foot care and foot deformities. The study
concluded that rteaching diabetics to inspect their feet
daily, take proper care of them and to wear proper fitting
shoes could cut the rate of amputations by 60% to 70%.]
5. Heels That Are Too Tight Can Damage Your Health
If your shoe of choice is a stiletto or high heel, you could
be storing up double trouble for your hea