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For feet's sake, make sure shoes fit Date published: 10/1/2006
F THE SHOE FITS, wear it. Just make sure it really fits. At some point in their lives, 75 percent of Americans suffer foot pain, according to the American Podiatric Medical Association. A recent study found that 12 percent of Americans experience pain from their shoes. Feet, and the shoes we put them into, may be more important than people think. Wearing shoes that don't fit can wreak havoc on feet. An ill-fitting pair of shoes can give a person heel pain, arch pain and pain in the balls of their feet. And when the feet hurt, other areas of the body can hurt as well. The two feet contain a quarter of all the bones in the human body. If these bones are misaligned, they can cause pain in a person's knees, hips and back. Other painful results of poorly fitting shoes include blisters, ingrown toenails and bunions, which can lead to infection or even surgery. "I don't think a lot of people are used to what you feel when you put on comfortable shoes," said Leroy Bailey, who works at Comfort One Shoes on Caroline Street in Fredericksburg. For 19 percent of the people whom the APMA surveyed, foot pain was so bad that it prevented them from taking part in certain daily activities. The consequences of wearing shoes that don't fit can be especially serious for diabetics. While shoes that don't fit properly can cause rubbing and calluses in anyone, diabetics have a more difficult time fighting infection. And if infection in a foot goes untreated, amputation may be the only solution. According to the APMA, diabetes is the leading cause of nontraumatic lower-extremity amputations in the United States. It may take more time and patience to find a shoe that fits well. But even for those without serious underlying medical conditions, it can be time well spent. Jeff Van Horn, owner of the specialty running store VA Runner in Fredericksburg's Central Park, said he sees customers with foot pain every day. "I'm confident that through the use of properly fitted shoes, the pain can be relieved and prevented from coming back," Van Horn said. No more 'fad' shoesBarbara Posey believes in the power of a good pair of shoes.
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