Fashion can be a fun way to get creative, express your personality and change up your look. Many times, people perceive or pass quick judgments upon catching a glimpse of what others are wearing.
Each part of your outfit — be it the shoes, shirts, shorts, socks, or belts — tells a different story about who you are as a person.
It is a no-brainer that shoes help express the kind of person you are; cool or funky, creative or sporty, loud or lowkey, whatever your personality type might be, shoes can always help you explore it to the fullest.
But did you know that the individual garments that you put on can have an impact on your health — especially your footwear?
Of course, it is enticing to behold brilliant supermodels walking runways in heels; but it does no good to their feet in the long term.
Research has shown that prolonged use of high-heeled shoes leads to structural foot distortions such as clad toes, bunions, and calluses. This consequently leads to undue stress on your knees, hips, and lower back.
Whether you work as a manual laborer, an athlete, in a customer service role, or have completed nursing school online and are starting work in a hospital, it is imperative to know the benefits of wearing well-fitting footwear, and how it can impact your health.
With 26 bones, 33 joints and more than 100 muscles, ligaments and tendons in each foot, your feet are a complex component of the body and play an important role in maintaining balance, support, posture, and overall well-being.
Health Benefits of Wearing Comfortable Shoes
A 2010 study published in Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise found that, on average, U.S. adult males took about 5,340 steps per day, whereas adult females took around 4,912 steps per day. That’s a lot of walking.
Wearing the right pair of shoes in your day to day activities comes down to more than just finding a style you like, it’s about ensuring they are comfortable and support healthy living.
Here are a few benefits of wearing comfortable shoes:
Prevent Foot Pain
With the right size of shoes, constriction of the toes is prevented. The right pair of shoes must always have a roomy toe box that can prevent foot pain. A roomy toe box makes it easier to walk and go about your day.
Improve Circulation
Uncomfortable shoes cause damage to our feet. They bring about swelling and cause bad circulation in the feet and legs.
A systematic review of the effects of shoe type on lower limb venous status during gait or exercise found that shoes have an effect on blood flow parameters and the venous pressure on the lower limbs.
Improve Posture
It is undoubtedly true that when you wear uncomfortable shoes, you find it hard to walk easily. The wrong pair of shoes always forces the position of your feet, ankles, knees, hips, and even your back into an unnatural position.
But with the right pair, your joints and muscles feel just fine. The right pair allows you to walk upright with ease.
This is a crucial consideration when choosing the right shoes as bad posture is proven to have negative health effects.
Provide Room to be More Active
There is a dedicated pair of shoes for every activity you partake in. You simply cannot wear climbing shoes for a run.
When you wear what’s appropriate for an activity, you are able to complete it with no friction and stress on your feet.
What Type of Shoes Should I Wear?
There are plenty of brands that do good quality footwear — and what you buy will depend on what your day looks like.
However, a few crucial items to consider before investing in a good shoe brand is to consider:
Does the Shoe Have Good Arch Support?
Arch support is pivotal in ensuring the pressure across your feet is distributed evenly not just on your ball and heel.
Shoes with good arch support reduce fasciitis and lower back pain.
Is There Heel Stability?
Heel stability is important to improve the alignment of your feet, mobility, and ankle support.
Is There Room for Toe Flexibility?
Shoes must make room for toe flexibility.
Toe flexibility is important to improve your range of motion when indulging in daily tasks such as walking, kneeling, and bending over.
Although shoes are just one small aspect of our outfits, their effect on our health cannot be downplayed.
Step up your health game, by ensuring your purchase the right pair of shoes, your feet, and the rest of your body will thank you for it!
