How to find fashionable, pain-free summer footwear
Summer is in full swing here in Florida, meaning that many women may have already spent the last several months showing off their fashionable wedges, sandals, flip flops, and flats to the rest of Boca Raton. Unfortunately, bunions, hammertoes, joint pains, corns, and blisters can often be the direct result of these kinds of fashion-forward footwear. Because most shoes are designed more for how they look than their comfort, the many enticing shoe trends of summer result in foot pain for many women each and every year.
Of course, skipping out on sandals and flats is often not a realistic option in the heat of a Boca Raton summer, particularly for the stylish. Fortunately, you can stay both chic and comfortable all season long by just taking care when you buy your summer kicks. Follow these tips for a bunion-free summer!
- Find a fit for your feet. Shoes may always look more appealing in smaller sizes, but buying a too-small pair is a surefire path to foot pain. Bunions frequently result when you force a small shoe to fit you, while a size too big can cause your foot to slide around and give you some serious blisters. To make matters worse, a poor-fitting shoe won’t conform to your foot correctly, meaning that the supportive elements of the sole won’t be able to give your arches and bones the support they need to prevent injuries like plantar fasciitis.
- Support your arches. The vast majority of ballet flats, flip flops, sandals, and wedges are not designed to properly support your feet. If you’re on your feet all day taking advantage of the fun of summer, this can result in a sore back, fatigued legs, and cramped, painful arches. Once you slip your shoes off at the end of the day, your feet are likely to be howling, worn down by walking without support on inflexible sidewalks and concrete floors. When searching for summer shoes, be sure to find ones that have great arch support or find a removable arch pad that you can add for a little extra protection.
- Find a style for your feet. Everyone is different, and so are our feet. If you know that your feet are especially flat, walking in shoes without good arch support will be even more likely to result in cramping, tired legs, and muscle spasms. Strappy sandals might fit well for some, but could rub your feet in all the wrong places and lead to corns, blisters, and other painful and unsightly problems. Pay close attention to what does and doesn’t work for your own two feet and be sure you aren’t buying shoes that are going to exacerbate any preexisting problems.
Summer footwear can be a pain, but that doesn’t mean you have to live in shoe envy as everyone else enjoys the season’s trends. Just be careful to be sure that your shoes fit perfectly before buying and you’ll be on your way to a fashionable, fun, foot-pain-free summer!
Do you have any more ways to avoid pain with summer footwear? Share your tips and experiences with us in the comments below!
