Foot and ankle injuries are common. We treat a lot of them at our Epsom physio clinic. They’re often associated with athletic endeavours with a lot of our patients picking up these injuries while playing their chosen sports. Just as many people have issues with their feet and ankles because they carry out physical activities in ill-fitting athletic shoes. This is particularly the case with runners and walkers who are just starting out. They have yet to realise how important it is to wear shoes that fit properly, and they suffer as a result.
But the shoes you wear every day can also have an impact on your feet and ankles. In some cases, the pain can extend to the rest of the leg as well as the hips and the lower back.
Poor footwear choice while you’re working or even socialising can contribute to common conditions like shin splints and Achilles tendon pain, bunions and corns, ingrown toenails, postural issues and lower back pain. Some of them can significantly limit your mobility or stop you from carrying out certain activities altogether.
In many cases, people choose fashion over fit. They like to buy shoes that look great but fit poorly and this is what happens as a result:
- Injury is more likely to occur if your shoes aren’t designed for your chosen activity, the conditions, or suited to your body mass or foot mechanics.
- The wrong shoe can make existing problems worse including pain or arthritis in your hips, knees, ankles or feet.
- Even if you wear the wrong shoes for just a short period of time it can still cause stress to your bones and joints, and the supportive soft tissues around them. For example, if you regularly stand during your job you are more likely to incur pain if your footwear does not fit properly, or if it is not suited to the surface you’re standing on e.g. concrete floors.
- Your choice of shoes can have a marked effect on your gait. Foot movement during each step dictates how the rest of your body follows. During a correct step, your heel contacts the ground first, then the arch rolls inward a little bit, allowing the ball of the foot and big toe to make contact. The heel then comes off the ground, which allows you to push off from the ball of your foot and big toe. Some people’s arches roll inward too much, or not enough – either of which can impact how effectively your feet absorb shock. This can contribute to extra stress on other joints.
How a shoe looks is important. But if you continue to wear a tight, loose or non-supportive shoe in the name of fashion, then you’re doing your feet and ankles no favours. Your lower leg, back and hips may also suffer from you wearing the wrong shoe for too long. We encourage you to pay more attention to how a shoe fits as, in the long run, you’ll be much better off. If you are suffering from foot and ankle pain, come and see us for treatment. We can even point you in the direction of some superb footcare products like orthotics, heel cups and insoles, that will ease your pain and maximise comfort and support.