Foot pain could be a sign that you are being too rough on your feet. After all, your feet withstand pressure and take a beating whenever you walk or stand – they’re actually subjected to an amount of force that is twice your body weight with every step you take.
You can start taking better care of your feet by choosing a quality pair of shoes. With so many types of shoes on the market today, made for different activity types, it helps to seek help from a skilled podiatrist to help relieve and prevent foot pain.
Let’s talk about some of the key things you should consider when buying supportive shoes to mitigate your foot pain, and where you can go in southern Texas and greater San Antonio for outstanding podiatry care.
Have Your Feet Measured for Proper Shoe Sizing
Everyone’s feet change over time. It is therefore important to have your feet measured by a professional in order to ensure a proper fit.
You know your foot size, but measuring feet includes measuring the width. Feet can become wider as we get a little older, and foot issues such as corns, bunions, hammertoes, and swelling can change the size and shape of your foot. Shoes that do not fit your feet properly can cause plantar fasciitis (which causes heel pain), Morton’s neuroma (which causes pain in the ball of your foot and numbness in the toes), and metatarsalgia (which also causes pain in the ball of your foot).
Ensure Built-in Arch Support
When shopping for shoes, mind your arches. If you have arches that are too high or too low (flat fleet), you may need custom orthotics – either customized shoes or custom shoe inserts that are placed inside your shoes. They are designed to provide support in exactly the right places for your foot.
If you have high arches, your feet are not properly distributing your weight under the pressure; conversely, having flat feet means the pressure is shifted to other parts of the foot. Both issues can cause foot pain as well as hip, ankle, knee, and lower back pain.
Choose Shoes for a Specific Activity
The shoes you wear to walk around during a normal day will be different than the shoes you should wear when you jog or exercise. Wearing the right type of shoe for your given activity helps prevent foot pain and injuries. Basketball and tennis shoes are created with greater lateral support for the left-to-right switches, while shoes made for running and walking have flatter soles and are designed for motion control.
Expert Podiatrist in San Antonio, TX
It is important to see a skilled podiatrist if you are experiencing foot pain. Podiatrists are foot and ankle doctors who are specially trained to determine what is causing your foot pain, recommend the right pair of shoes, and provide custom orthotics to provide optimum support for your feet.
Our podiatrists at The Podiatry Group of South Texas can help you achieve relief from your foot pain by choosing the right type of shoes for your foot type and chosen activity. We can also provide custom orthotics to help your shoes fit more comfortably and supportively.
To schedule an appointment with one of our podiatrists, call our podiatry clinic near you or fill out our appointment request form online now. We look forward to serving you in any of our convenient locations across South Texas!
