What You Wear Can Hurt You

When it comes to feet, we are often our own worst enemies. From high heels to pointy toes, our shoes often pinch, pressure, and bind. Bunions, corns, and calluses are just a few of the problems that can result. To avoid painful and potentially serious foot problems, make sure the shoes you buy fit in width, length, and overall shape.

Even though the bones in our feet stop growing when we are in our late teens, our shoe size will change over our lifetime. Have your foot size measured at least once a year. There should be a thumbs width between your longest toe and the end of the shoe. Leave high heels to the fashion models-and let them deal with the consequences.

Although shoes are meant to protect our feet, too often we choose them for style rather than comfort and function. Whether shopping for sandals or hiking boots, let common sense dictate– if they aren’t comfortable, don’t buy them. If you do buy them, at the least you’ll end up not wearing them and wasting money; at the worst, they do damage and cost you even more.

To learn more visit http://www.shenandoahpodiatry.com/

If The Shoe Doesn’t Fit…Make the Foot Fit the Shoe??

As the fashion trends for shoes continuously change, these changes are very persuasive in convincing women they need to change their appearance in order to wear them. As this is may be difficult for many to fathom, many women are considering the option of elective cosmetic foot surgery. If surgical intervention is the only reason for foot surgery, in order to fit into a shoe, then maybe the shoe is not for you. But you have to have the latest spring collection of Jimmy Choo or Manolo Blahnik sandals, but that little pinky toe is just not fitting into the shoe. So what do you do? Well, some women are resorting to cosmetic foot surgery, which is becoming more popular since you can nip and tuck just about everything else, some figure well why not the feet?

A growing number of women are considering shortening their toes, narrowing their feet, or enduring collagen or silicone injections in an effort to have the “perfect” foot to fit the “perfect” shoe. One has to consider that there are complications that can occur with any surgical procedure, not to mention the pain, swelling and discomfort that may be experienced post operatively. Surgically changing the dynamics of your foot when there is no underlying injury or pathology to a shape that is not natural may cause potential difficulty down the road. What will you do if the shoe trends change again? Will you remove another toe? There has to be some reasonable options that don’t involve removing appendages. If surgical intervention is necessary, be sure it is for medical reasons. If you have a condition that cannot be treated conservatively, experiencing pain, or if overall quality of life is affected, then surgery may be necessary.

Remember trends go in and out of style, your toes never do. Be an advocate for your foot health.

For more information visit http://www.shenandoahpodiatry.com/