I am very much the first type of person, and while both of these people are portrayed hyperbolically, the real question is are either of these people paying attention to what matters most in a shoe. 

Person number one is simply going for what they know and like. Person number two is definitely looking with more detail, but in my experience, they are looking at style more than anything else. 

The wrong shoes can provide a lot of foot and ankle problems. It is important to know what to avoid in a shoe, aside from if it is stylish or not.

Crammed/Pointed Toe

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I don’t think anyone has ever put on a shoe, felt their toes squished down at the end and thought, “I’m going with these ones!” It is a pretty obvious no go. Though we may not do that, many people wear shoes that their feet have outgrown. Pointed toe shoes and high-heels are huge culprits in causing hammertoes. 

Crammed toes at the end of the shoe can cause a condition called a hammertoe. A hammertoe is when your toe arches unnaturally in the middle. Your foot and the tip of your toe would be flat on the ground, but the middle of the toe would be permanently arched. It can be very painful and often requires surgical intervention. 

Lack of Support

You may have a pair of shoes that feels so comfortable when you first try them on, only to later develop pain in your feet. Many shoes, like flats and flip-flops, do not provide adequate support for your feet, especially the arches in your feet. 

At first, you might feel discomfort in your arch, and heel pain. Over time, the stress can cause inflammation of the plantar fascia, or plantar fasciitis, which is the tissue on the bottom of your foot. It is painful to walk with such a condition and should be treated by a medical professional.  

Bendy 

One aspect of shoes that has become more popular in the past few years is the flexibility of the shoe. It may look cool to watch how the shoe is able to bend, but it isn’t cool to your feet.

If a shoe easily bends, it likely doesn’t provide enough support for your feet. This can cause some of the same problems as noted above. A shoe can have some flexibility, but it also needs to remain firm enough to prevent injury. If you can see the shoe not staying firm enough to prevent you from rolling your ankle, it may be worth it to pass it up.

Pressure on Forefoot

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Some shoes put a lot of pressure on the front of your foot. This is uncomfortable and can cause issues with your toes. Again, heels are the main culprit here, sorry ladies. 

The other big issue with shoes like this is that it can stretch your Achilles tendon. This can lead to discomfort, pain, or if weakened enough it can rupture. Heels may look great but can really hurt your feet, short term and long term. 

Conclusion

There are many things that can cause your feet pain or injury. Being active, holes in the ground, the can of peas you dropped on your toes, and so many other things. Don’t let your shoes, the items that are sworn to protect your feet, be the thing that causes problems. 

The post 4 Factors to Watch Out For When Buying Shoes appeared first on InstantELLA.

Protection

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The ground is a dangerous place for your feet. If you’re the average person, you’ve stubbed your toe at least a few times and know how painful that can be. Sometimes a stubbed toe won’t just scrape off skin but it will also crack your toenail and bruise your foot. The toe of your shoe could save you from a nasty stubbing.

As inviting and carefree as the grass at your local park may look it is actually filled with tons of hidden things that could hurt you like sharp twigs, trash, or even broken bottles. Shoes provide you with a level of protection so your poor foot isn’t the first thing to come into contact with what may be lurking unseen on the ground.

Infection

5 Important Things Your Feet Are Trying to Tell You about Your Body

Along with defending your foot from the scrapes and bruises of life, your shoe will also help to ward off pests and infections. Back in the early 1900s, there was an awful problem with people getting hookworms in rural places like Mississippi. The worms would bore into peoples bare feet causing them to get terribly sick. Once people were educated about the importance of wearing shoes the problem took care of itself, but that doesn’t mean the worms are gone.

Not only do you want to keep your feet safe from things like hookworms, but you also want to defend them from infection. If you do get a scrape or cut on your foot and you don’t keep it clean you run the risk of the wound getting infected. Infections that aren’t treated can cause more severe problems and, in extreme cases, can lead to the need for amputation.

Grip

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Most shoes have been designed to help you have a better grip on the ground during certain activities. If you’re out hiking your shoes will grip the rock. Running track with spikes will help your feet to grab the track giving you the push you need. Your shoes can even help with an everyday thing like driving as they give you a better grip on the petals and greater control of your car.

Support

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This is not true for all shoes, but shoes that fit you correctly and have a sturdy arch inside will give your entire body better support. Many people don’t realize this, but your feet affect almost all of your movements. If you don’t have the foot support you need you could be causing yourself unnecessary back, hip, knee and even neck pain. If you are experiencing pain that could be related to conditions of the foot, you should contact an orthopedic foot specialist about your options.

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Going barefoot will likely not kill you, but it is important to understand the risks you are taking with something as simple as not wearing shoes. Enjoy the warmer weather and keep your feet safe!

The post 4 Reasons To Avoid Going Barefoot appeared first on InstantELLA.

They are how you get around, how your body is able to get from point A to point B. They are how you walk, run, glide, dance, and basically how you do all physical activities.

But even though they are so essential to most of our daily activities, most of the time we hardly pay attention to them.

This is something that most of us should probably change, because paying attention to your feet might actually help you to know a little more about your body and your overall health.

Here are seven things your feet are trying to tell you about your health, and if you actually pay attention it can help to identify some health issues you might have, or help prevent them in general.

Pain in the morning is probably not normal

If you’ve ever noticed that when you wake up and try to take a few steps and it’s painful, it might be a sign that something is off.

According to the Center for Diseases Control, pain in your feet when you first try to walk in the morning could be a sign of rheumatoid arthritis, because this can cause inflammation of the joints which leads to pain. The only way to stop this pain is to talk to your foot doctor, who can probably prescribe medication and certain exercises to help alleviate the pain.

Pay attention to cold feet

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For most of us having cold feet on cold days or when walking across wood or tile in the mornings is completely normal. If your feet continuously feel cold, however, there may be something else your feet are trying to tell you.

One of the first things cold feet could be a sign of is poor circulation, which is common if you are too sedentary. Making sure to actually use your feet and walk around, exercise, and lead a more active lifestyle could help with this issue.

Cold feet can also be a sign of a more serious health issue, one as serious as diabetes. According to the CDC, cold or numb feet could be a sign of diabetes and nerve damage associated with diabetes, so if you notice any of these signs it’s best to call your local foot doctor.

The color of your nails matter

8 Things Your Nails Are Trying To Tell You

While some may have pretty toenails due to a pedicure, what’s important is to pay attention to is the color of your nails without nail polish on.

According to the American Podiatric Medical Association, a healthy toenail should have the actual nail growing right against the toe and the toenail should look pink and not sunken in.

If you have nails that have a yellow color to them, look sunken in or the nail isn’t growing correctly it could be a sign of a fungal infection. Other deformities in the nails could also mean anemia, poor circulation, or even a skin condition.

Parched feet need more than water

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The dry and flaky skin on the feet is a pretty normal phenomenon especially when the weather is hot and dry, but if it’s accompanied by other worrisome symptoms, it could mean something more.

Again, it’s pretty common to have dry feet with flaky skin around the heel area, but if you are also noticing rapid weight gain, problems with your vision, and numbness in your hands that could be a sign of a thyroid issue and it might be worth it to get it checked out by a doctor.

Continuous swelling means time to see the doctor

13 Reasons Your Feet Are Swollen

This is another issue that can be pretty common and caused by relatively harmless things like walking around a lot, ill-fitting shoes, and sitting too much. But if you notice that your feet are continuously swollen, it might be time to ask a professional if there is a more serious problem to be worried about.

Swollen feet could mean circulation problems because they are actually one of the first places to exhibit problems with blood flow, heart, and even kidney problems.

The post 5 Important Things Your Feet Are Trying to Tell You about Your Body appeared first on InstantELLA.