Foot Habits Your Podiatrist Wishes You Would Break

Your feet can’t tell you that you’re treating them poorly, but they can send signals to the rest of your body that something isn’t quite right. Before you write body aches and pains off as “normal,” and pop a few over-the-counter pain relievers, the podiatrists at Triad Foot and Ankle Center recommend re-evaluating some of your foot habits.

Here are a few bad habits that your podiatrist wishes you’d break, according to the experts at Triad Foot and Ankle Center.

1.     Wearing athletic shoes when you’re not being active. Most athletic shoes—specifically running shoes—are designed for you to move forward while wearing them.

If you’re wearing running shoes casually, you may be causing your feet to endure movements that are out of the ordinary. You wouldn’t wear a pair of dress loafers to run a 5K, right? So, you shouldn’t wear running shoes with your slacks.

2.     Continuing to wear old shoes. Although it may be hard to part ways with your favorite pair of sneakers, sporting footwear past its expiration date can damage your arches and the entire bone structure of your foot. This is because when shoe soles wear down, they may wear unevenly, or lose arch support altogether.

If you notice your shoes are wearing down and no longer make you feel like you’re walking on cloud nine, the professionals at Triad Foot and Ankle Center recommend trading them in for a new pair.

3.     Walking barefoot on non-carpeted surfaces. Did you know that simply walking around on your living room hardwood floor can be incredibly damaging to the protective cushion of your foot.  Hard surfaces lack shock absorption, meaning that the pads of your feet absorb the impact from every step you take. Walking around on hard floors without shoes can cause those pads to fail over time.

4.     Always buying the same size shoes. If you think you’re a consistent size 8 in all of your shoes, the doctors at Triad Foot and Ankle Center want you to think again. According to TFAC’s professionals, your athletic footwear shouldn’t fit the same way that your dress loafers fit.

Shoes designated for physical activity like running require a bit more wiggle room to avoid destroying your toenails. The best practice for determining if you’re buying the right size athletic shoe is to make sure you have about three-fourths of an inch of room between your toe and the top of your shoe.

5.     Not wearing socks with sneakers. Besides the fact that socks keep your sneakers from becoming too odorous, too fast, socks also prevent blisters from developing. Sneakers and other close-toed shoes tend to cause lots of friction, too, so socks make an excellent layer of protection.

Additionally, socks prevent foot sweat from physical activity to be absorbed by the fabric inside of your sneaker and grow into bacteria.

If you find yourself guilty of at least one of these bad foot habits, it’s time to seek out more advice. Thankfully, the experts at Triad Foot and Ankle Center are ready to jump in and help. Make your appointment.