Why Good Footwear is So Important for Your Health

As the foundation for your entire body, there’s a whole lot to your health that begins in your feet. That’s part of the reason why shoes are so important for your health. The right shoes can:

• Help prevent injury

• Keep pre-existing conditions from worsening

• Make physical activity easier

• Prevent foot pain

• Help promote circulation

If you’re not sure if your current shoes are helping your health, reach out to a CHP clinic in Bozeman, Belgrade, or Livingston to make an appointment with a care provider who can help answer your questions.

Why Are Shoes Important for Your Health?

Shoes Can Help Prevent Injury

It’s true that proper footwear can prevent a wide range of injuries. Supportive shoes protect your body from joint damage and pulled muscles and tendons, and ones with proper traction can help stop slips and falls. Icebug shoes even come with carbide studs, giving traction on icy surfaces.

The proper shoes can also keep bunions and strained muscles at bay. Flux shoes and Xero shoes can help alleviate pain from bunions with their extra-wide foot beds. Though the “right” shoes certainly vary based on your body and what you’re doing, finding that perfect fit can help you feel your best.

Keep Pre-existing Conditions from Worsening with Your Shoes

Joint pain can make life much harder and more uncomfortable, especially in the knees, ankles, back, and hips. But with the right footwear, you may find some of the symptoms of those old injuries and pain points lessening. By providing the proper support to keep your body in alignment, you might be able to keep some of these conditions from getting worse.

There’s no one size fits all option when it comes to alignment, so speaking with your provider or having a professional shoe fitting, like the ones offered at Bozeman Running Company, can help you find the right pair.

Your Shoes Can Make Physical Activity Easier

A supportive shoe that’s designed for the activity you’re doing will make moving easier overall—just imagine trying to run a marathon in flip flops! But even beyond the obvious scenarios, shoes engineered for a particular sport or type of movement will make mobility easier all around.

Preventing Foot Pain Starts with Your Shoe Choice

This might seem obvious, but proper shoes that fit, support, cushion, and don’t rub can keep your feet feeling good. Alleviating soreness and pain on the part of your body you put the most pressure on will help your health and ease your mind. The right shoes can be the best form of preventative care.

Avoid Circulation Issues with Properly-Fitting Shoes

Circulation issues—usually identified by tingling or discoloration in the hands and feet—often stem from a greater underlying issue like diabetes or Raynaud’s disease. That’s why it’s best to speak with your healthcare provider if you experience ongoing symptoms like these.

However, sometimes it may be a cause as simple as improperly fitted shoes. That’s part of why shoes are so important to your health. Even just tying shoelaces differently or adjusting support with orthotic inserts can help address some of these issues.

How to Find the Right Shoes for You

When you’re wondering why shoes are so important for your health, it helps to start with a conversation with your healthcare provider. Each person is unique, and the same goes for their feet. Your provider will be able to recommend a brand that could work for you, suggest a shoe store that can give you a personalized fitting, or refer you to a podiatrist for some specialized care if you need it.

While you’re shoe shopping, these are some common factors to consider when you’re looking for the right fit:

• Arch Support: Having high arches means that the arch of your foot is higher than normal, putting your weight on other parts of the foot and ankle, which can lead to pain in these areas, as well as knee and back pain. More arch support in your shoes, specialized orthotic shoes, or supportive insoles can help with these issues. On the other hand, flat arches, or flat feet, can also lead to foot pain. Arch support can also help relieve foot pain in this case, and your care provider can recommend foot exercises to help strengthen your arch muscles.

• Foot Width: Having wide feet can mean it’s hard to find shoes that fit your foot shape. Your toes should be able to spread comfortably in the shoe. On the other hand, if you have narrow feet, it’s important to find shoes that can hold your foot in place, or you can get hot spots and blisters from too much foot movement within the shoe.

• Activity: You wouldn’t wear high heels on a hike, or play tennis in hiking boots. Having the right shoes for the activity you’re doing can help keep your feet and body comfortable and prevent injury.

• Foot Swelling: It’s normal for your feet to swell and contract throughout the day, especially when you’re active. Trying on shoes later in the day when your feet are typically most swollen can help you find a fit that will suit your feet no matter when you wear them.

Finding the right shoes is so important for your health, and it starts with a visit to your neighborhood CHP clinic, where trained health care providers can give you access to the information you need for foot and whole-body health. Reach out to make your next appointment and get convenient and affordable care from the ground up.