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How the Proper Shoes Can Affect Your Body Structure |
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Women who are partial to wearing high heeled shoes can suffer from swelling, pinching, rubbing and calluses. Over a period of time wearing these shoes, the calf muscle actually shortens and stretching becomes difficult or impossible. A few older women who have always worn high heels now find it painful to wear low heels.
Feet are not the only body part affected by wearing unsuitable or ill fitting footwear. After wearing such shoes for a number of years, the body structure will begin to change. Your center of gravity alters, which might mean pain from your heel right up to your back. High heeled shoes push the center of gravity forwards, force the pelvis forwards and push the body out of alignment. This is bound to result in aches and pains, as your body is forced to adapt its own structure and posture. And all because of what you have on your feet.
Walking can also be affected because we normally put down our heel then our sole but, in high heels, this is often not possible. High heels are not the only culprit, although they have received a lot of bad press. Shoes which are too loose or tight, shoes made from fabrics which offer little or no support and old worn out shoes which offer very little in the way of protection or support are not recommended either. When trying on shoes, make sure all your toes fit inside comfortably without being cramped. If not, this can negatively affect body stability. Make sure the shoe fits at the back, the front and on the sides, to distribute weight evenly.
If you have been wearing bad footwear and your body structure has begun to change, it is probably not too late to do something about it – choose some different footwear.
How to Choose Good Footwear
When you are choosing shoes, you should let the salesman measure both feet and then if one foot is slightly bigger, buy shoes in that size. Like our eyes, our feet alter as we get older. They get longer and wider. Our feet also change size slightly during the course of a day. They are slightly larger in the afternoon so that is the best time to purchase shoes.
You should be aware of your foot motion and foot structure before buying shoes, too. If you are buying sports shoes, this is very important because playing sport or running puts a lot of pressure on the feet. If your shoes are incorrect, this can throw out posture and affect your body structure over time. Match your shoes to the occasion. If you are buying sports shoes, make sure they are comfortable. If you are buying sandals, make sure they are supportive enough and your feet don't slip around in them. If you are buying high heels, keep them for wearing to special occasions only.
If you use the outside of your feet a lot or have high arches, you might need cushioned shoes. If you have flat feet, you might need motion control shoes. If you are somewhere between these extremes, stability shoes should be fine.
Many people forget how much their body structure can be affected by wearing ill-fitting shoes but what seems like a minor problem at the time can turn into a bigger and more painful problem later in life.
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