The right type of shoes can play an important role in protecting the foot from conditions such as bunions.
However, wearing ill-fitting or tight shoes such as those with a narrow toe box or increased heel height can lead to a number of problems in the feet.
The authors of this study were interested to find out how shoe wearing patterns, particularly in terms of heel height and shape of the toe box, changed in older women.
The authors also aimed to examine the relationship between these changes and foot pain and bunion over time.
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A survey was prepared and distributed among women aged 50 years and older in order to get information about their past footwear use, with four heel heights outlined – flat, low, medium and high.
There were also four toe-box shapes indicated in the survey – very wide, wide, narrow and very narrow.
The participants were asked to select which heel height and toe-box shape they preferred wearing for each decade of their lives, beginning from the age of 20 years.
Foot pain and the severity of their bunion problem was also assessed through the survey.
The results showed that the frequency of wearing high heels and narrow toe box was highest for all the women between the ages of 20 and 29 years.
While no impact of heel height and toe-box shape was recorded on foot pain and bunion, it was found that participants with bunions were more likely to have worn shoes with a narrower toe box during the ages of 20-29 years and 30-39 years.
To read the full study, please click here: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5106851/
MASS4D® Insoles can help in the management of foot conditions such as bunions by promoting healthy movement of the toes and reducing any excess stress on the big toe.
This helps in the recovery process while protecting the foot from developing other painful foot conditions.
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