Spring Shoes: Help Your Feet Feel Better

Common Foot Conditions

It is possible that a person will not even be able to feel a foot-related problem, but it can cause discomfort to the hips, lower-back, shoulders and neck.  Believe it or not, foot problems can also cause headaches or stomach aches, emotional distress, and physiological changes in the blood sugar, adrenal function and much more.

Having painful feet can affect every aspect of a person’s life and prevent an individual from enjoying activities such as sports and walking.  Many foot conditions can be prevented by wearing the right shoes and by using certain foot care products.  Below is a list of the common foot conditions:

• Achilles pain: tendon inflammation which can result from excessive rolling over foot, which causes extra strain.
   
• Athlete’s foot: fungal infection caused by excessive moisture and is highlighted by a burning, itching, stinging sensation of the feet; most commonly found between the toes and can spread to other areas of the body if not treated.
   
• Ankle sprains: most common walking and sporting injury, which can be prevented by observing proper ankle support.
   
• Arch pain: inflammation and burning sensation at the arch of the foot, purchasing high quality insoles and avoiding high heels can alleviate the problem.
   
• Bunions:  a forefoot deformity, involves the displacement of the bone under the first toe.  The big toe moves towards the smaller toes and shifting of the bones makes a large, bony nodule on the side of a person’s foot.
   
• Corns:  localized thickening of skin due to pressure on the toes from tight or ill-fitting shoes.  Corns can become intertwined with nerves of the foot and become very painful and may need to be surgically removed.
   
• Cracked heels: caused by dry skin, heels of foot appear yellow or dark brown and symptoms can be exacerbated when open back or thinned soled shoes are worn.
   
• Flat feet: happens when the foot does not have a normal arch and can affect only one or both feet.  Can be related to genetics, a ruptured tendon, and could be the result of conditions like cerebral palsy, spinal bifida or muscular dystrophy.  Treatment is most consists of  wearing wider fitting shoes and to purchase high quality insoles to remove pressure and pain from the arch of the foot.
   
• Foot blisters: caused by rubbing and friction on the foot and can be present on the heels and backs of feet, as well as on the tops of toes and other areas on the foot.
   
• High arch: heel of the foot is drawn into upward position and toes may become drawn inward.
   
• Hammer toes: term refers to four toe abnormalities: hammer toes, claw toes, mallet toes and trigger toes, it is an abnormal buckling of a toe or toes.
   
• Ingrown toenails: most common foot complaint which is caused by a splintering of the nail which causes painful pressure into the sidewalls of the toe skin.  Can be caused by trauma to the toe, tight shoes and hosiery, improper cutting of the toenails, abnormal shape of the nail plate or abnormal thickness of the toe nail.

Heavy Winter Versus Lighter Spring Shoes

In the wintertime, people turn to solidly constructed shoes to provide support, traction and warmth for the feet.  Hardly anything like this is going to be necessary for spring or summer weather, when people prefer lighter, open, airy shoes to let the foot breathe.  The shoes for each season are vastly different with boots being closed, constructed of durable leather or other materials, sometimes being lined with flannel, fleece or wool and spring shoes being very different in construction and style. 

Shoes for springtime can consist of sandals, tennis shoes, pumps or flip flops, depending on the style and preference of the wearer.  No matter what type of shoe is selected a person should always make sure to pick a pair that is well constructed, provides good arch support and has good traction on the bottom, in order for comfort and to prevent slipping or other accidents.  The right spring shoes help your feet feel better and lets you put your best foot forward.

Things to Look for in Spring Shoes

There are many simple things a person can do to take care of their feet and one of the most simple is to practice good foot care and finding a good fitting pair of shoes.  Wearing good shoes will prevent some of the most common foot problems and below are tips designed to help a person find the proper shoe fit:

• With age, the size of the foot will change so it is important to measure feet before buying shoes.  Measure at the end of the day when feet are the biggest, it allows for an accurate sizing.
   
• Most people have one foot that is slightly larger than the other, fit the shoe to the bigger foot for best fit.
   
• Do not choose shoes according to the size marked, rather by how well it fits the foot and whether or not it is comfortable.
   
• Select a shoe that is as close to the natural shape of the foot as possible.
   
• During shoe fittings, make sure there is enough space at the end so that the longest toe is comfortable when in a standing position.
   
• Make sure the ball of the heel is comfortably fitted into the widest portion of the shoe
   
• Do not purchase shoes that feel tight fitting, most often these will not stretch even with wear and tear, avoid at all costs if constricting or pinching occurs.
   
• The heel of the foot should fit comfortably into the shoe with a minimum amount of slipping; the shoe should never rub up and down when walking because it could lead to blisters forming.
   
• Walk back and forth in the shoes several times to ensure comfort and fit feels good.  Once home, also wearing the shoes on carpeting will help tell if the fit is proper.
   
• The upper portion of the shoes needs to be constructed of a durable, yet flexible material to match the shape of the foot.  Leather shoes reduce the risk of blisters and skin irritation, the soles should have good traction, thickly soled shoes provide more comfort when walking on hard surfaces and low heeled shoes are much more comfortable and less damaging to the spine and legs than spiked heels.

Read More: Summer Shoes: Flip-Flops Aren't That Easy on the Feet

Overview

Years of wear and tear can be very hard on a person’s feet, as can poor circulation, diabetes, improperly cut toenails, disease, or wearing ill fitting shoes.  Problems with the feet could signal something more seriously wrong with the feet such as arthritis, nerve and circulatory issues, so it is important to take good care of the feet and bring up any abnormalities to a doctor or podiatrist.  Foot care is very important and should never be neglected; taking care of your feet now will ensure that you do not have to deal with some of the most common ailments or any other possible problems in the future.