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Foot Notes

Posts for category: Shoes

By Clark Podiatry Center
December 11, 2018
Category: Shoes

If you haven’t already, dust off those winter boots! The winter weather can cause quite a chill from the top of your head to the tips of your toes. Keeping your feet warm can help warm up the entire body, so why resist wearing those boots?

First things first. How are your old boots?

  • They may only be a year old if you bought them last year, but depending on the quality of their build, they can already be worn down. Check for any signs of problems with structural integrity or worn down insoles. Additionally, check if the outer soles are also in good shape. After all, you want them to be able to help you grip when it’s slippery outside.
  • Even as adults, our feet can change shape or size, so double check that they still fit you well.
  • For children, this is especially true and might need new boots each year. Their feet can keep growing until around 16-20 years of age.

Time for new winter boots?

If your winter boots are worn down or don’t seem to fit correctly (maybe due to worsening bunions), consider buying new shoes for the season. Winter boots may feel like they should just be comfortable and chunky, but without proper support, a day of trudging through the snow can leave you with tired and achy feet, like with plantar fasciitis.

Here’s what to keep in mind when buying new boots for you and your family:

  • Get measured in the afternoon. Just like regular shoes, you’ll want winter boots to fit properly. There’s a good chance your children’s feet have become bigger and won’t fit into last year’s boots.
  • Buy boots with grippy outer soles to help you when you walk over any snow or ice.
  • The inner arch and heel cup will also help stabilize your feet if you encounter slippery conditions.

Finally, make sure you try on your boots with thick socks. As the weather becomes even colder, you might want to layer up. Your boots should have enough room to accommodate thicker socks.

Can’t find boots that fit you well? Do you have a foot deformity or other foot issues? We can help you with custom orthotics. Come to see our board-certified podiatrist, Dr. Brandon Macy at Clark Podiatry Center. He can assess your feet, and find a solution to keep your feet comfortable and warm this winter. Make an appointment at our Clark, NJ office so we can keep you walking. 

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By Clark Podiatry Center
September 12, 2018
Category: Shoes

Did you know that the shoes you wear might be the reason that your bunions are getting worse? Without the proper supportive features, your footwear can be causing your feet to work harder to grip the shoes for stability.

Shoe features to avoid:

  • Pointy shoes – When footwear forces the front of your feet into an unnatural shape, a bony growth (spur) can appear at the side of your big toe joint to support your foot. The big toe begins to turn more toward the smaller toes, instead of pointing straight ahead.
  • Narrow/Tight shoes – When shoes are too tight in the front, and there’s no room to wiggle the toes, they can become very cramped. This also forces the big toe into unnatural positions and can cause irritation to the big toe joint.
  • Thong sandals or flip-flops – When the toes are not encased, they become unstable and can slide around. As the feet work harder to maintain stability and grip harder in flip-flops, bunions can become aggravated. The inflammation and positioning can cause the deformity to worsen over time.
  • High heels – Shoes with high heels can put excessive pressure on the forefoot, especially on the big toe joint. A bony spur can push out to help support that pressure.
  • Flat shoes with no arch support – Those with flat feet or low arches are more likely to put pressure on the big toe joint. If you will be wearing flat shoes, make sure they have arch support or at least an orthotic insert to help with flat feet.

After an assessment by our board-certified podiatrist, Dr. Brandon Macy, he might suggest custom orthotics for your shoes. He’ll also recommend shoes with a roomy toe box and good arch and heel support. Read our guidelines about what to look for when purchasing shoes that are healthy for the feet.

Make an appointment with Dr. Brandon Macy at Clark Podiatry Center. He will assess your feet to keep you walking. Our office in Clark, NJ serves the Westfield area and surrounding Union County. 

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By Clark Podiatry Center
August 29, 2018
Category: Shoes

An important aspect of foot care is to make sure that you have good shoe habits. That includes long-term shoe maintenance and wearing them properly so that they provide maximum support to your feet.

Here are some habits you should adopt, as well as some habits you should drop!

DOs:

  • Keep your shoes clean, which includes keeping your feet clean. This will help prevent the growth of microorganisms such as bacteria and fungi that could rot your shoes and make them smell! You might use a shoe spray or an activated charcoal bag to absorb moisture if your feet tend to sweat a lot. Additionally, keeping them clean of dirt (and in the winter, of rock salt) can reduce the rate at which they degrade.
  • Wear socks with shoes, especially closed-toe shoes. You are more likely to have bacterial or fungal growth/infection without socks to absorb some of the moisture from your feet. Got hyperhidrosis? You may want to bring an extra pair of socks with you to change into midday.
  • Unlace your shoes before taking them off to reduce wear and tear on the materials that make up the structure of your shoe. Overstretching the material can reduce the supportiveness of the shoes and prevent your shoes from fitting with the proper snugness for your feet.

DO NOTs:

  • DON’T wear one pair of shoes every single day.  Not only are you wearing them down quicker, they can also become smelly and harbor bacteria and fungi, as these microorganisms thrive in damp, dark, warm surfaces. Try to rotate between at least two pairs of shoes to allow them to dry out completely. Additionally, do not put shoes in an enclosed space right away. Instead, allow them to air out overnight and then put them away if need be.
  • DON’T fold shoe backs. Some shoes have flexible backs that can forcibly be folded down if you’re in a hurry to get out the door. After a few instances of folding the back, you will notice that they stay folded down. This means that the structure of the shoe becomes compromised and your feet may have to strain more to remain stable. You might suffer from chronic overuse injuries like plantar fasciitis or Achilles tendonitis.
  • DON’T drag your feet. Dragging the feet will wear down the outer soles of your shoes and can also make you more prone to tripping over your own feet or a curb. You can sustain an injury like an ankle sprain or broken toe if you’re not careful!
  • DON’T continue to wear shoes that hurt. If shoes hurt your feet, you can either donate them or try adding cushioning with orthotic inserts to better support your feet.

Have your shoes turned on you and started causing you pain? Let us help you find a solution to your foot or ankle woes. Make an appointment today at Clark Podiatry Center. Our board-certified podiatrist, Dr. Brandon Macy will assess your feet to find the best treatments or solutions for your feet. We are located in Clark, NJ and serve patients in all the surrounding Union County towns!

 

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By Clark Podiatry Center
June 26, 2018
Category: Shoes

You don’t have to be an older adult to have foot, ankle, knee, or hip problems from your job that requires you to stand all day. Those who work in healthcare, food service, or retail know all too well, how worn out the feet and legs can become at the end of a long shift. In order to survive the day-to-day, make sure you have the right footwear to support your feet and prevent pain all the way up to your back.

Here’s a checklist of features you want to look for in shoes to wear for standing all day:

  • Do they fit well? If shoes are too large or small, they can cause problems for your feet, either by causing instability or by cramping the toes. They should also have enough space in the toe box so that you can wiggle and stretch your toes a bit. Shoes that constrain the toes, like pointed-toe shoes, can cause cramping and chafing between the toes.
  • Is the outer sole non-slip, wide, and flat? The wider the surface area of the outer sole, the more stability in the shoes. You also want to make sure you have a non-slip grip on the outer soles so that you do not slip while walking.
  • Do you have good arch support? When standing, your ankles should not be rolling inward, especially if you have flat feet. Over time, pronating your ankles will cause pain to the Achilles tendon. Additionally, without arch support, plantar fascia can become strained and tight, causing inflammation (plantar fasciitis). 
  • Do you have enough cushioning? The inner sole should feel stable but have some cushion for comfort. If shoes do not have enough cushioning, use orthotic inserts to soften your surface.
  • Is the material protective? There are many who are at risk of workplace hazards. Dropping heavy objects, fumbling needles, or falling sharp knives all pose dangers to your feet. Depending on the type of work you do, be sure that you wear shoes made of a material that will protect your feet, even if it’s just for a short time.

Having the right shoes can make or break your mood after work. If you are tired and have pain from poor posture, you may not be in the mood to go meet friends or attend another of your kids’ sports practices. Far worse, it can eventually be what prevents or causes foot problems for you. If you have foot pain and have to stand all day, come in for a consultation with our podiatrist. Make an appointment to see us at Clark Podiatry Center. Our board-certified podiatrist, Dr. Brandon Macy will assess your feet to find the best treatment. We are located in Clark, NJ and are ready to serve patients in all the surrounding Union County towns! 

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By Clark Podiatry Center
May 23, 2018
Category: Shoes

You traded in your high heels for flats, because it’s probably the better decision. Or is it?

While it’s true that most high heels are not supportive enough for the feet and can cause ongoing foot problems, it’s not necessarily true that flats are the antidote. In most cases, flats are probably less problematic, but that depends on whether or not they have supportive features.

Because both high heels and flats are usually worn with fashion in mind, they tend to lack supportive features that are necessary to keep feet healthy and pain-free. High heels can cause pain in the balls of the feet and the toes, but flats can cause pain along the bottom of the feet. So if you have foot pain even when you thought you remedied the problems caused by high heels, it’s probably due to the flatness of flats.

Flats can be your arch nemesis if they lack the following supportive features:

●Arch support - Most flats have flat inner soles. This can cause excessive straining for the plantar fascia, which aggravates any problems that folks with fallen arches or flat feet might have, like plantar fasciitis.

●Supportive heel cups and solid heel contours - When heels are not supported with specific heel grooves, they may be prone to sliding around, which can result in blisters and calluses, or Achilles tendonitis as feet can under- or over-pronate.

●Cushioning in the soles - Most inner soles tend to have a very thin lining and lack cushioning. This can increase the impact felt by the feet, ankles, knees, hips, and back.

●Roomy toe boxes - Many flats tend to become narrow in the front and are tight around the feet because they do not have straps or laces to keep them secured on the feet. Tight toe boxes can cause problems like hammertoes or worsen pre-existing problems like bunions.

This doesn’t mean that you should never buy flats. Instead of swearing off all flats, you can find flats with built-in support. Alternatively, you can use over-the-counter orthotic inserts. However, if you need custom-made orthotics, we can help! Make an appointment to see our board-certified podiatrist, Dr. Brandon Macy at Clark Podiatry Center. He can assess your feet and give them the treatment or orthotic support they need. Come see him at our Clark, NJ office.

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Podiatrist - Clark, Dr. Brandon Macy, 1114 Raritan Road, Clark NJ, 07066 732-382-3470