Do You Have Good Shoe Habits?

Did you know that there are correct ways to wear your shoes? Did you also know that certain shoes should only be worn for limited times and circumstances? These are things you may never have even thought about! Regardless, it’s always a good idea for you to check in with your foot health, starting with healthy shoe habits. Take some time to assess whether or not you are following good shoe habits: Wash your feet and air-dry them completely daily. While this is not a shoe habit, it can surely affect your shoes. Good foot care and maintenance will help to prevent bacterial and fungal infections, which can also lead to smelly shoes. Wear socks with shoes. Even if it’s for a short time, you should always wear closed-toed footwear with socks. Going sockless can leave your shoes at risk of skin irritation, as well as increase the chances of foot and shoe odor from directly sweating into the shoe material. Wear different shoes each day. Unless you have specific shoes that you MUST wear to work each day for safety reasons, it’s best to rotate among multiple pairs of work and workout shoes. Let shoes air dry before putting them away. Do you sometimes forget to put your shoes away when you get home at the end of the day? Good! Even if it’s unintentional, it’s a good shoe habit that you’ve gotten into, especially if you’ve sweated in the shoes a lot that day. Wear shoes properly. Shoes with laces should be tied. Don’t walk around with the back of the heel folded down. If there are straps, wear them snug, instead of loose or too tightly. Not wearing your shoes properly can cause you to have foot strain problems such as plantar fasciitis or Achilles tendinitis. Untie your shoelaces before taking them off. Most people don’t do this, but to prolong the life of your shoe materials, you should untie the shoelaces before taking them off or putting them back on. Not doing so can stress the shoes to contort in an unnatural way, making it harder to keep a snug fit on your feet. Keep shoes clean and polished (if necessary). Footwear made of suede or soft leather sometimes needs upkeep to prevent breakdown. If you walk in snowy or wet weather, water and salt on the streets can get on the shoes and cause it to break down. The more you maintain your shoes and clean them after a dirty wear, the longer you’ll be able to keep and appreciate your shoes. Replace worn down inner soles. The more you wear your shoes, the more likely the inner soles will wear down, especially at the toes, balls of the feet, arches, and the heels. If any of these parts have worn-down, you can get orthotic inserts to help support your feet. Wondering if your shoes are the cause of your foot odor or pain? Come see us at Alamitos-Seal Beach Podiatry Group in Orange County for a thorough assessment. One of our board-certified podiatrists, Dr. Douglas H. Richie, Dr. Jeremy L. Cook, and Dr. Faye E. Izadi will be ready to help you at our Seal Beach, CA and Los Alamitos, CA locations.