Do your feet hurt more since summertime has ended? You’re not alone. We see a lot of patients like you each fall. When it comes time to put the sandals away, these patients get the shoe blues. In summer, sandals provide the freedom that allows your feet to feel comfortable. If you start wearing closed shoes again in autumn, the shoes can rub against bunions and hammertoes and cause you pain. Sometimes the friction of shoe against skin can cause painful corns and calluses to build up.
Your first line of defense is to wear comfortable, well-fitting shoes. Pick footwear with a toe box wide enough so that your toes aren’t crowded together.
If you wear shoes with heels, keep the heel height to two inches or less to avoid putting pressure on bunions.
Wear socks to reduce the friction of the shoes against your feet. You may also want to take your shoes to a shoe repair shop and get them stretched in the areas that are bothering you. Using pads to shield the corns may help, but avoid medicated pads, which contain acid that can be harmful.
If you try these tips to no avail, contact our office. There are several things we can do, including:
- Trimming corns and calluses professionally. Don’t attempt this yourself because you run the risk of injury and infection.
- Providing custom shoe inserts.
- Injecting corticosteroids, which ease pain and inflammation, or prescribing pain medication.
If conservative measures like these don’t give you results, surgery may be an option.
Don’t let painful toes keep you from enjoying all that fall has to offer. Make an appointment with our office to get them checked out.