While many of us are focused on how good our shoes go with an outfit, there should be a broader thought process that goes into what you put on your feet. The shoes you choose to wear can have a significant impact on your overall health. From your heels, mules, flats, sneakers, boots, sandals, and so many more designs, each foundation can positively or negatively affect your soles. The health of your feet can also contribute to the health of your legs, knees, hips, back, and neck. Therefore, for the sake of your entire body, it’s imperative to understand what different types of shoes do to your feet. Only then can you best choose footwear that will be supportive and comfortable. Sometimes it’s better to ditch fashion for comfort that will lead to better overall health.

We should ask the question “What do high heels do to your feet?”. As much as we love a good high heel and the ability it has to elevate any outfit, the long-term effects of wearing these shoes can make a massive dent in your health. Even if you are someone who can strut in heels like a pro, there is always the chance of one wrong step that can change everything. Instead of distributing body weight across the foot, heels place all of the bodyweight and impact on the ball of the foot. This type of placement puts extreme pressure on the ends of the metatarsal bones and the joints between the toes and feet, increasing the risk of stress fractures and neuromas. One way to cushion this sensitive area is to place Foot Petals Ball of Foot Cushions in your shoes! These helpful high heel insert cushions absorb shock and prevent your feet from sliding forward.

Flats seem to be the ultimate go-to footwear, especially for the office, but their lack of foundational support can be quite damaging for the feet if worn excessively. Wearing tight shoes with pointy toes, which is a common style with flats, puts way too much pressure on toenails. This design can cause the nails to bend and become ingrown into the surrounding tissue. Chronic ingrown toenails should be evaluated and treated by a qualified foot doctor.One helpful tip can be to purchase the shoes a half size up and add in the Foot Petals ¾ insoles! These awesome shoe inserts for women will provide cushioning from the heel to ball of foot while also preventing your foot from sliding forward by not having your toes scrunched in the front.

Goodbye sweater weather, hello summer! The uptick in temperatures means a change of seasonal clothing and, oftentimes, the comeback of sandals. From open-toed flats to the popular flip flop style, it’s always nice to show off a new pedicure, but not at the expense of foot health. Walking with these types of flat shoes that have thin, unsupportive soles can create excessive pressure on your heel bones. It not only can lead to blisters on your Achilles tendon when the back of the shoe repeatedly rubs against your heel but also is the root cause for plantar fasciitis. This is a condition of inflammation of the fascia that connects your heel to your toes, which can cause intense pain in your foot.