In the store, you look for your usual shoe size without thinking, and when shopping online, you immediately select it in the filter. It seems logical – after all, you have known your shoe size your entire adult life. But is that really true?
If you think so, you may have what is called the Cinderella complex: you try to squeeze your feet into shoes that are too small just because they once fit you. It may be that you actually need a completely different size for a long time, although you haven’t even noticed it yourself.
“The foot is a complex structure, so many changes can occur in it,” podiatrist Fabienne Ramseier told the portal “20 Minuten.”
She explained what to pay attention to so that shoes fit the feet, not the feet the shoes.
Feet can change with age
According to F. Ramseier, as a person ages, connective tissue loses its firmness.
“The body produces less collagen and breaks down more connective tissue fibers,” the specialist explained.
These processes also affect the feet. Various diseases can also have an impact.
“For example, diabetes. Rheumatic diseases such as osteoarthritis, arthritis, gout, or fibromyalgia can also cause joint changes or stress fractures,” said the podiatrist.
According to her, such changes usually begin to become noticeable around 45–50 years of age. However, there is no strict age limit.
“I also see many beautiful and well-maintained feet of older people,” she added.
After pregnancy, you may need shoes one size larger
However, feet can change much earlier. Even changes in body weight can influence this – feet can become both larger and smaller.
According to F. Ramseier, significantly increased body weight can also have more serious consequences.
“Bones and joints have to bear a greater load. This can cause misalignments and changes in the hips, knees, and feet,” she explained.
Pregnancy can also change the feet. The hormone relaxin relaxes ligaments and tendons, and the increasing body weight and hormonal changes additionally strain the foot arch.
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“After pregnancy, a woman may realistically need shoes one size larger,” said F. Ramseier.
During menopause, the decreasing amount of estrogen becomes important.
“Estrogens, among other things, participate in calcium metabolism. When it is disturbed, bones become more fragile. Osteoporosis can develop. This affects the foot arch and can cause fatigue fractures,” the specialist explained.
Due to such biological factors, women more often experience changes in their feet.
Shoes that are too tight? The consequences can be long-lasting
Problems can arise when a person continues to wear shoes of the previous size, which are now too small, after their feet have changed.
“Too tight footwear limits the functions of muscles and joints,” warned the podiatrist.
The consequences can be various: pressure injuries, calluses, redness, severe skin hardening, pain, and even toe deformities. Due to constant pressure and friction, joints are also more heavily loaded.
Improperly chosen footwear can also change the gait.
“If a person cannot properly transfer the foot from the heel to the toes and does not give it enough room to naturally expand during the step, they start walking differently. Other muscles are engaged to perform the step,” explained F. Ramseier.
In such cases, natural shock absorption can also be disturbed. This can cause tension and pain in the leg and trunk muscles.
When was the last time you measured your feet?
F. Ramseier recommends regularly inspecting the feet. Pressure marks and changes in skin color may indicate that the shoes no longer fit.
Warning signs also include thickened, detached from the nail bed, or ingrown nails.
However, problems can be caused not only by shoes that are too tight but also by those that are too loose. Therefore, the specialist advises checking foot length and width once a year and changing footwear if it no longer fits.
And the popular belief that you can simply “break in” shoes that are too small, according to the podiatrist, is just a myth.
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