Health Tips - Happy Feet
Wearing poorly fitted shoes can result in deformed feet. Foot surgery can become necessary to reduce the pain from bunions (enlargement of the bone at the base of the big toe) or hammertoes (permanently bent toes, resembling a hammer).
If you look at the feet of babies and animals that have not been altered, they are V-shaped! This V shape allows for the best balance and increases the ease and energy of the body. Wearing shoes that are opposite in shape to a natural V-shaped foot, such as with a pointed or narrow toe, can result in hammertoes and bunions.
If customers purchased only the shoes that make their feet the happiest, then shoe designers would only design these kind of shoes, competing with one another to make these shoes more and more fun.
Regarding children, they won't know if their shoes are slowly altering their foot joints. It is important that you check the fit of their shoes every few months. Do this by tracing their footprints on a white piece of paper while they are standing. Place this cut-out inside your children's shoes to feel in the toe area for proper fit. It is important that you continue to do this until your child is trained to only buy shoes that have the proper room for their feet.
Regarding shoe salespeople, they are not foot experts; their pay is often based on how many shoes they sell. When you are choosing shoes for anyone but yourself, use a cut-out!
Happy toes to you!
Dr. Pepi
April 4, 2008