Shoe Pain, Don’t Bother Me!

There are many types of chronic pain and each one differs in degree and severity. Depending on the nature and extent of the pain, most persons who suffer from chronic pain try to manage and treat it by themselves at first. Usually, pain management specialists are consulted only when the pain becomes unbearable.

One type of chronic pain which is prevalent among older women is foot pain. Why does it afflict only women? How come men don’t have to suffer the same pain and agony? Let’s imagine that one day, you start to experience pain in your heels and toes. After some time, the pain will start to affect a general and wider area. After asking other women, you find out that you’re not alone in your pain. But then you ask your husband or your male friends who all swear that they never experience foot pain. You’ll start thinking that there might be a scientific explanation to it – genes, perhaps. Then you start making conjectures and come up with the conclusion that foot pain must be gender-related. The foot pain starts to bother you even more. It limits your activities as your heels easily get all sore and painful. You finally decide that you’ve had enough and start to make your way to the pain management center to literally get back on your feet.

Then the pain management specialist lays the cards on the table and tells you what your foot pain is really all about – bad footwear. Your feet are suffering today because of years of wearing stilettos, platforms, sandals, slippers and other kinds of footwear that lack support. You are in pain because of one bad choice of footwear after another. But how can anyone bear not to wear such beautiful shoes?

Studies on footwear and their long-term effects on feet show that shoes which provide optimum support are the best choices for those who want healthy feet. These are footwear like sneakers, trainers and other athletic shoes which are made to protect feet from damage and strain from impact and daily activities. The next type of footwear which provide average support and structure are loafers, boots and low-heeled pumps. These kinds of shoes do considerably less damage than those which completely lack structure but neither do they protect the feet nor save them from pain. Women who choose these types of footwear also suffer from foot pain as they grow older.

With this information, women today should be more discerning when picking out shoes to wear. Seriously, would women really wear sneakers or boots on a dinner date? Women would rather brace themselves and face the pain caused by unhealthy feet. Do women really have no choice between beautiful shoes and a future of pain-free feet? One way to reduce damage and pain from wearing high-heeled shoes is to do foot exercises, particularly stretching, but this can only do so much to alleviate pain.

So why does chronic foot pain occur only in women? Let’s face it. According to the study, men almost always choose good, sensible and healthy shoes.

Seomul Evans is a senior SEO and Healthcare Marketing