In the lexicon of healthy habits, feet tend to fall by the wayside. Sure, there’s toe yoga, but you probably don’t need a dedicated foot workout; simply walking puts them to good use. Most of the time, those puppies are also out of sight, and if Google searches about whether you even need to wash them at all are any indication, they may be largely out of touch too.
But as soon as something goes wrong with your feet, your focus is bound to flip on its head: Suddenly every step becomes a reminder of an unignorable issue at the base of your body, whether it’s a tiny blister on a toe or soreness spanning your arches. Not to state the obvious, but if you’re a person who walks, your feet are your foundation, serving a critical role in keeping you upright and mobile. Even your big toes alone are key to propelling you forward in space and helping you maintain your balance. So it’s no wonder a seemingly small injury can have such a ripple effect on how you move through the world.
It’s the reason you may want to pay a little more attention to the burden your feet are bearing. As it turns out, there’s plenty you might be doing every day that could be setting you up for foot pain or gnarly toe problems down the road, from the shoes you choose to your exercise habits, and beyond. We tapped two expert podiatrists to share the common behaviors that they wish people would kick to the curb, why they can put you at risk, and what to do instead so you don’t wind up footing the bill (and the pain) of a future injury.
1. You regularly go barefoot or walk around in flimsy footwear.
If you’ve worn high heels even once, you’ve probably surmised that they can do a number on your feet, tilting your weight forward in a way that jerks a bunch of muscles out of alignment. But spending a lot of time barefoot or in barely-there shoes (that let your feet fall as they may) can leave you hurting too. In fact, it’s the reason podiatrists saw a spike in foot pain, particularly plantar fasciitis (inflammation of the band of tissue spanning your arches) during the COVID-19 lockdown: Lots of people who used to wear shoes to commute and work from an office were suddenly mostly bopping around barefoot at home.
“Barefoot is best for everyone” is a misconception, Kaitlyn Laube Ward, DPM, a board-certified foot and ankle surgeon at Voyage Healthcare in Minnesota, and resident expert at ZenToes, tells SELF. Without a sturdy shoe, those with either flat feet or high arches can be more prone to plantar fasciitis, as well as overuse syndromes in the tendons that support the foot, Jeffrey M. DeLott, DPM, a podiatric surgeon at Hartford HealthCare’s Connecticut Orthopaedic Institute, tells SELF. In particular, he says, flatfooted folks tend to roll their feet inward while walking, overworking the tendon on the inside of the ankle, and people with high arches often do the opposite, straining the exterior tendon. That alone accounts for lots of people who are bound to do better with supportive kicks versus barefoot, not to mention anyone with diabetes or another condition affecting their feet, Dr. Ward notes.
As for what you might’ve heard about strengthening your feet by going barefoot? Yes, you may be able to tune up your intrinsic foot muscles (the ones between and around your toes) by walking sans shoes in short bursts—for example, while pacing around your home for 30 minutes—so long as you have no existing foot issues or pain. This way, you’re enlisting your foot muscles to provide you with the balance and stability that a shoe might typically offer. But Dr. Ward stresses that any kind of barefoot exercise training or running should only be done with the guidance of a podiatrist or physical therapist.
What to do instead: Wear shoes that support and cradle your feet whenever you’re going to be up and at ’em for a good while, whether you’re inside or outside. (Beyond expert-recommended running shoes, we have ideal options for walking, weightlifting, and really any type of workout you might be doing.) A little bit of barefoot strolling in your home is fine, but if you’re going to be on your feet for a long time or you deal with arch or heel pain, invest in a comfy pair of house shoes to ward off future foot problems.
Dr. DeLott also recommends designating a pair of supportive sneaks for high-impact workouts, even if you’re doing them in the comfort of your home. Whenever you’re jumping or doing any sort of plyometrics, your feet need stability and shock absorption to steer clear of overuse injuries like stress fractures, he says.
2. You wear running shoes that are worn out or don’t quite fit.
Like most things in life, running shoes do not last forever. They’re good for 300 to 500 miles of use, Dr. Ward says, which translates to roughly seven to 12 months if you’re running 10 miles a week. The more you use them past their prime, the greater discomfort and injury you put yourself at risk for, she says. That’s because the squishy midsole that cushions each footfall flattens with time, offloading the brunt of the impact onto your feet. And the outer treads can wear down too, messing with your gait and causing you to disproportionately strain certain tendons while upping your risk of slipping.
Jogging around in the same shoes year after year also increases the chance that they no longer fit you. Not only can shoes warp in size with use, but also, the length and width of your feet will change over time due to things like aging, pregnancy, and weight fluctuations, Dr. Ward says. And it’s important to have a goldilocks fit—not too tight or too big—when it comes to running sneaks. Err on either side, and you risk corns, calluses, blisters, and damaged toenails, whether from the extra pressure of a too-small shoe, or from sliding and jamming up against the front of a too-large shoe, as SELF previously reported.
What to do instead: Replace your running shoes once you’ve maxed out their 300 to 500 miles of use, or if you’re noticing a dropoff in your pace or performance, or the arrival of new aches and pains, as SELF previously reported. Dr. Ward also suggests going to a sneaker store to get your feet measured annually and trying on shoes later in the day (when your feet are slightly swollen) for the best fit. You want to make sure there’s about a thumbnail’s-width of distance between your longest toe and the end of the shoe and that the toe box isn’t squishing your big toe or pinky (to avoid causing or worsening the discomfort of a bunion or hammertoe).
3. You dig out your own ingrown toenails.
It can be tempting to try to unearth a corner of a toenail that has burrowed its way beneath your cuticle using clippers and brute force. Freeing the intruder yourself may seem like the fastest way to resolve the pain and swelling surrounding it—but both Dr. Ward and Dr. DeLott strongly advise against it.
Performing “garage surgery,” as Dr. Ward puts it, will just make you more vulnerable to an infection. By cutting into the area, you’re allowing bacteria easier entry, and the instrument you’re using probably isn’t sterilized, Dr. DeLott points out. You also likely don’t have access to the kinds of numbing agents that a doctor would use (much less, the expertise necessary to seamlessly excavate the nail), so you could wind up hurting yourself a good deal.
What to do instead: Rather than putting yourself through the trauma of self-surgery, seek out a pro—like your primary care doctor or even better, a podiatrist—if you have an ingrown toenail or any pain or puffiness that you suspect might indicate one. This way, you can get evaluated and receive the care you need without risking a secondary infection, Dr. DeLott says. In the meantime, if you’re looking for some instant relief, Dr. Ward suggests a warm Epsom salt soak. Pour a cup of it into about a gallon of water in a tub or basin, and pop your feet in there for about 15 minutes to help alleviate some of the soreness.
4. You skip socks when exercising (or wear poorly designed ones).
Bare feet plus shoes plus movement can equal a whole lot of blisters, calluses, and bruised toenails (given the lack of a cushiony buffer)—so you really don’t want to bypass socks when you exercise, Dr. Ward says. Doing so can also increase your risk of developing a fungal infection like Athlete’s foot if your feet are sweaty and sockless inside your shoes for a while. As Dr. Ward notes, “fungus likes warm, moist, dark places.”
For much the same reason, it’s a bad idea to rewear socks from the day prior or slip back on the still-sweaty pair from the workout you just did after you’ve showered. Even wearing flimsy or poorly designed socks that fail to wick moisture away from your skin could leave your feet slipping or chafing inside your shoes, or put you at risk of an infection if you wind up stuck with damp toes during or after a walk or workout, Dr. DeLott points out.
What to do instead: Slip on a clean, dry pair of socks before putting on sneakers or any closed-toe shoes if you’ll be exercising (or even walking around a good deal). And pro tip: If you’re putting on socks immediately post-shower, like if you’re getting ready at the gym, fully dry your toes and the spaces between them before doing so to avoid trapping moisture inside. (Some experts even suggest giving your toes a quick blow-dry for this reason.) If you’re especially prone to swampy feet, seek out socks made from synthetic materials like polyester or nylon, or merino wool, which are all especially breathable fabrics—we’ve got a full guide to sweaty-feet-approved options here, not to mention expert-backed picks for running socks and socks for all sorts of other workouts.
5. You vape, smoke, or pop any oral form of nicotine.
You don’t need us to tell you that smoking blasts your body with cancer-causing chemicals and vaping harms your lungs. And it’s becoming apparent that even tobacco-free nicotine pouches—the latest and admittedly least-researched nicotine product on the market—cause gum issues and GI upset, for starters. But there’s a lesser-known common denominator among all these addictive items: circulation issues. Any form of nicotine exposure can damage your blood vessels, leaving them irritated or constricted, Dr. DeLott says. This is especially problematic for your feet, which are far from your heart and thus prone to poorer blood flow as is, he explains.
That dip in blood supply could up your risk for Raynaud’s syndrome, a condition in which the tiny vessels in your toes (and fingers) spasm and shrink up in response to any cold exposure, Dr. DeLott says. It can show up as skin discoloration, numbness, and stiffness at first, and then pain and soreness as the vessels open back up and blood rushes back. (If you already have Raynaud’s, research also suggests smoking can trigger or worsen your symptoms.) Over time, a consistent flow of nicotine could also spark more severe circulation issues like Buerger’s disease, wherein your blood vessels swell up, leading to decreased blood flow, clots, and intense burning and tingling (regardless of the temperature), and sometimes even gangrene, or the death of tissue. Not to mention, lack of blood supply to your feet can slow down wound- and bone-healing there, Dr. DeLott adds, upping your risk of infection from a simple cut or complications from a fracture.
What to do instead: The obvious answer is to avoid nicotine-containing products—but of course that’s far easier said than done. Nicotine replacement therapy, or the use of items like patches or lozenges with low doses of nicotine to mitigate cravings, can be a huge help when it comes to working your way down to zero. For more intel, check out our full guide to quitting vaping even when it’s extremely hard, and read up on strategies for nixing cigs for good from longtime smokers.
6. You try to ignore or push through foot pain or injuries.
According to Dr. DeLott, people commonly put off dealing with foot issues for a bunch of different reasons. There’s the fact that feet are a weight-bearing body part that you likely use daily. So you might not want to seek treatment that ultimately involves wearing a brace or boot or otherwise restricts your movement (or even having to get an operation that puts you out of commission for some time). There’s also the somewhat inconvenient reality that feet are treated by their own doctor—so you may have to seek out a new physician to get care if you haven’t seen a podiatrist before. Not to mention the pervasive myth that experiencing some amount of foot pain is “normal, especially as we age,” Dr. Ward says. Which, to be clear, is not true at all.
The problem with powering through is that foot issues usually get worse. That’s just another function of the utility of feet: You’re probably on them a lot, and every step can amplify the severity of an untreated injury. “We see a lot of patients who have an injury that they think is nothing, and by the time they come in, it’s two or three weeks after it happened, and they’ve exacerbated it or caused a stress fracture by continuing to be active or stay on their feet,” Dr. DeLott explains. He adds that you really don’t want to put off seeing a doc if there’s any chance you might have a broken toe or foot bone: Keeping up with walking or exercising on it, in that case, can cause the fracture to displace, which may require surgery to fix—whereas it likely could’ve been treated non-operatively prior. But even with lesser niggles, aches, or nail issues, you don’t want to let them linger. Putting off care ups your risk of developing an infection or other chronic or long-term complication, Dr. Ward says.
What to do instead: Get foot issues evaluated by a pro, even if that means starting with your primary care doctor, who may refer you to a podiatrist, orthopedic surgeon, or physical therapist, depending on what ails you. Dr. DeLott concedes that various forms of treatment can be annoying, challenging, or expensive to comply with—say, wearing specific shoes or insoles, switching up your exercise regimen, or strapping on a brace that limits your mobility. I should know: I just freed my own right foot from a honker of a boot that I was required to wear 24/7 for a month after breaking it with a simple misstep. And that sucked. But it’s also true that the sooner you get seen and start treatment, the less chance there is that your dull ache or minor injury balloons into something more serious, and the quicker you’ll get the spring back in your step.
Related:
- Do Toe Spacers Really Work or Are Their ‘Benefits’ Just Bunk?
- 12 Best-Selling Foot Massagers to Treat Your Tired Toes
- Is ‘Heel Whip’ a Harmless Running Quirk or a Serious Problem?
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