Female feet: 3 daily activities that cause foot problems

If you’re like most of us ladies, you spend a lot of time on your female feet. But you may not realize the problems that are in the making with every step you take! Good thing Maryn is here today to explain 3 common activities that cause foot issues – and how to prevent or treat these problems.

Our feet support us from the moment we get out of bed but without proper care, they can become a source of constant pain. Foot problems in women are more common than in men due to the damaging nature of high heels and other impractical requirements put upon them every day.

Preventing issues from ever developing is far more effective than treating them after the fact. Therefore, it’s best to be mindful of the following everyday actions that can lead to foot ailments:

1. Wearing badly-fitting shoes

When shoes are too tight, too loose, or don’t fit properly for another reason, female feet can suffer. Furthermore, high heels place much greater strain on feet due to the increased pressure caused by the reduced footprint.

However, switching to trainers, flats, sandals and any other type of footwear can still be troublesome if they don’t fit correctly!

When shoes don’t fit right, they can cause one or more of the following problems:

●     Bunions on female feet

A bunion is a painful lump that appears next to the “knuckle” on the outside of the foot by the big toe. They are caused when the big toe is pushed into the other toes by high heels or other poorly-fitting shoes.

Bunions can take years to form and an effective way to prevent them is to wear comfortable shoes that fit properly. Surgery may become necessary to remove bunions that grow quite painful.

●     Ingrown toenails

An ingrown toenail is a painful condition that occurs when the nail starts to grow into the nail groove. This happens when the toenail does not have enough room to grow, either due to ill-fitting, tight shoes or due to toenails that have grown too long.

Once they occur, symptoms include redness, swelling and pain. Infection is also a possibility.

Ingrown toenails are relatively easy to treat but cause great discomfort. In severe cases, a podiatrist may have to remove a portion of the nail to allow normal growth to resume.

●     Corns and female feet

Corns and calluses occur when the skin attempts to protect itself from constant friction by forming a thick, rough patch. While these patches of skin are formed to protect tootsies, they can become painful or crack, which leads to infection.

The same friction leads to blisters which are painful but will disappear with time. All of these can be prevented by wearing shoes that fit comfortably and do not move or rub against the foot when walking around.

●     Fallen arches

As you get older, the likelihood of fallen arches and foot arch pain increases, unfortunately. Swelling may also accompany the pain.

Shoes with strong arch support can help prevent the condition from developing in the first place. Arch support will also help if you already suffer from foot arch pain.

2. High impact exercise

Exercise, like running or jogging, is a great way to keep fit. The problem is that these activities dramatically increase the stress on your feet.

Without proper care and footwear, exercise can go from a source of fitness and strength to a source of debilitating pain. So, it is worth getting well-made running shoes!

●     Sever’s disease

Sever’s disease usually affects children and its cause is repetitive stress to the heel. The key symptom is heel pain, which will grow worse with exercise or any kind of activity involving the feet.

There are no other external signs of Sever’s disease, so diagnoses often requires a medical specialist, such as the staff at Instep Podiatry. It is preventable by stretching before heavy exercise that involves the heels and also avoiding running on hard surfaces.

●     Plantar fasciitis

Plantar fasciitis is another condition with the key symptom of heel pain. The pain is usually at its worst in the morning or during exercise.

Running is one of the risk factors, but the condition occurs more often in people who are also overweight, have tight calf muscles, or have high arches. It requires an anti-inflammatory treatment like Ibuprofen, elevation, and ice to mitigate the pain and swelling.

3. Female feet, smoking, and drinking

Smoking and drinking are never healthy choices. As well as the better-known health concerns related to the lungs, heart and liver, smoking and drinking can cause medical conditions that affect your feet.

One such example is diabetic neuropathy. This is a serious condition caused by nerve damage in the feet.

The initial symptoms include tingling, aching pains and numbness. Once this damage occurs, it is irreversible. Thus, take care to try to prevent it by living healthily and looking after yourself.

Concluding thoughts on your female feet

Looking after your female feet is vital to maintaining a comfortable life. While most foot conditions, from the sole to the heel, are treatable, it is far easier to make sure they never occur in the first place.

The most important thing is to ensure that your shoes fit well and are comfortable. Doing so will prevent the vast majority of issues from occurring. After that, look after your feet and they will look after you.

About today’s writer

Maryn is a tech enthusiast and creative content writer. She is interested in all tech-related stuff, digital marketing, travel, fitness and personal improvement. Find Maryn on Twitter.