For those who simply cannot give up wearing heels and voluntarily live with foot pain, there are some ‘fixes’ that might help your feet. Dr. Katherine Lai, orthopedics clinical instructor at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York City has some great tips on dealing with foot pain.
THE BALL OF THE FOOT: High heels shift most of the weight onto the ball of the foot, which is especially bad when you walk on a hard surface. FIX: Switch to heels that are two inches or lower and vary your heel height each day, Metatarsal pads, will also help absorb some of the impact of walking in heels.
THE BACK OF THE HEEL: If the rims of your shoes constantly press against that area, it becomes red and irritated. FIX: Tuck little heel lifts into the shoes so that the rim of the shoe isn’t hitting that exact spot.
THE HEEL AND/OR ARCH: Wearing flats that are too flat. Flats with flimsy soles and no heel don’t have enough shock absorption. Also, they don’t engage the arches which creates a lot of pressure at the heel. FIX: Wearing shoes with heels that are an inch to an inch and a half high redistributes pressure at the arch area.
THE PINKIE TOE: As shoes taper in, the outer edge of the foot and toe get squeezed and irritated. FIX: Shield the area with a moleskin pad or corn-protecting non-medicated foam stickers. Dr. Lai says that “the redness is a signal that you could develop a corn there, so it’s important to cushion that spot.
FACT: 37% OF WOMEN HAVE WALKED HOME BAREFOOT BECAUSE OF FOOT PAIN! We challenge you to not be a statistic and take care of your feet; they must last a lifetime and should be pain free!
