How shoes affect your feet, legs and joints

If your shoes are too tight, too loose or insufficiently supportive, your physical activity may place stress on your feet, ankles, lower legs and other joints. This ongoing pressure may contribute to pain and injuries.

Poor footwear choice can contribute to common sports injuries such as shin splints and Achilles tendon pain, corns and bunions, ingrown nails, or postural issues and lower back pain. Such injuries may significantly limit or stop your activity.

Choosing the right shoes can help avoid injury. Learn what can happen when you wear the wrong shoes:

• The chance of injury can be increased if your shoes are not designed for your activity, the conditions, or suited to your body mass or foot mechanics. As an example, there are different requirement for beach versus road running.
• Wearing the wrong shoe can exacerbate existing problems such as pain or arthritis in your hips, knees, ankles or feet.
• Even a short duration in the wrong shoes can cause stress and pain to your bones and joints, and the soft tissues that support them. For example, if you regularly stand for long periods of time as part of your job.
• Your shoes can make a significant impact on the way you walk, or your gait. The movement of your feet during each step affects how the rest of your body follows. When you step correctly, your heel makes contact with the ground first. Then, the arch rolls inward a little, allowing the ball of the foot and then the big toe to make contact. The heel then comes off the ground, which allows you to push off from the ball of your foot and big toe.
• Some people’s arches roll inward too much, or not enough – either of which can impact how effectively your feet absorb shock. This can contribute to additional stress on other joints.
• Some shoe types, including high heels and flip flops (‘thongs’), aren’t suited to activity.

Remember, the right shoe can help prevent, reduce or eliminate foot pain. A lack of pain has a huge impact on how well and easily you move. So, find the right shoe and get active!

Shoe supports for problem feet

If you have foot or ankle problems, you may need to change shoes, make some changes to your existing shoes or use various shoe supports.

Heel cup

A heel cup may alleviate pain beneath the heel. Made of plastic, foam or rubber, the cup may provide support around the heel while relieving pressure beneath the tender spot.

Arch supports (orthoses)

Arch supports (‘orthoses’) treat pain in the foot and other problems related to function of the foot and lower leg. Made of many types of material, arch supports are worn inside the shoe. Custom arch supports are specially designed inserts (orthoses) and may relieve a particular area while supporting other areas. They may also aim to alter foot alignment and function.

Some foot problems can be improved by stretching and strengthening exercises, wearing a different shoe, or simple over-the-counter shoe modifications. However, long-term and complicated problems ‒ such as severe flat foot, high arches, shin splints, Achilles tendon injury and turf toe ‒ may require specialized assessment.

Metatarsal pad

A metatarsal pad can be used to relieve pressure or pain beneath the ball of the big toe (sesamoiditis) or other toes. Made from a range of materials, the pad affixes to the insole behind the tender area. In this way, the pad helps distribute pressure that would otherwise be placed on the ball of the foot.

Talk with a healthcare professional (such as a podiatrist or physiotherapist) about any problems with your feet or footwear. They may be able to recommend a treatment to help your symptoms, or a specialist shop that has shoes suitable for you.