Happy Feet

HEALTH

It is very important to take care of your feet and one of the very first steps to taking care of your feet is to wear comfortable footwear. As women, sometimes we may ignore the amount of comfort shoes give or don't give, if the shoes are very stylish. "Depending on the situation, you can ignore the pain in favor of appearance and allow the experience of sore, tired feet to be dismissed as part of wearing fashionable shoes." (Austin, 2011) However, we must remember that a part of maintaining our well-being, is maintaining our feet. Uncomfortable shoes are damaging to your feet and it can cause: 1. Pain; 2. Blisters; 3. Morton's Neuroma - an abnormal thickening of the tissues surrounding the nerves of the feet; and 4. Corns & Calluses - thickened skin.To learn more about your feet and problems that your feet may encounter due to uncomfortable footwear, click here!

Moreover, "shoes assist with good mobility. Uncomfortable shoes create a spontaneous need for the body to compensate for the pain and discomfort. This compensation naturally affects the way you walk. Consistent adjustments in your gait create unnatural and unnecessary pressures in your ankles, knees, hips, and back."(Austin, 2011) As a result, of wearing comfortable shoes, the whole body becomes healthier.

All summer, I have been trying to be conscious of what shoes I put on my feet. One of my favorite  and most comfortable heels are my black BCBG Max Azria heels....

Sometimes you have to spend a little more on your heels, so that you can walk with a higher and healthier stride. Too often, I see women buying inexpensive shoes that clearly wont do them any good for their feet or their body. Here are a few steps to take when purchasing shoes:
 1. Observe how your foot is built. Know your foot!

 Your foot consists of 33 joints. Your foot has a long, high major arch along the inner border of the foot. The minor arch is a long slight arch along the outer border of the foot. The metatarsal arch across the ball of the foot. In addition, there is an arch under the foot just behind the instep. The formation of the foot plays a major part in the selection of a comfortable shoe; once you know your foot you can know what shoe type you should be buying. 

To learn your foot type, take this easy test - the Wet Test 

2. Select shoes that protect your feet; choose quality over price. When selecting be sure that the ball of your foot rest on the widest part of the shoe. The heel should fit snug and not slip. Your toes should not push against the top of the shoe.
3. Try on the shoes, stand up and walk around. If your feet vary slightly in size, choose the most comfortable size for the larger foot.
4. Have your feet measured at least once a year, the size and shape of our feet change over the years. This will better assure you of a comfortable fit.

 http://www.ehow.com/how_5874254_choose-shoes-comfort.html

FITNESS

When it comes to exercise shoes, there is one key rule to follow in order to maintain comfortable feet while exercising, and that is to replace your shoes frequently. Depending, on the intensity of the activity you partake in, you will need to replace your exercise shoes every year. As a rule: if you are active at a low mileage with little intensity (run / walk 3-4 times per week) your running/walking/cross training shoes should be replaced at least twice a year or every 6 months; if you are an avid runner or walker (exercising more than 4 times per week), you may need to replace your shoes every 3-4 months; if you exercise with extreme intensity (e.g. full marathon, triathlon training, etc.), you may need to replace your exercise shoes every 2-3 months.

I exercise  3-4 times a week (sometimes I get lazy though). Since, I exercise as much as I do, I  recently had to buy a new pair of cross trainers; it was long overdo - like 6 months overdo.

My Old Cross Trainers

 My New Cross Trainers

As you can see, my old pair of exercise shoes were worn out; the tread began to look very used, which is a good sign that my shoes needed to be replaced. In addition to, the look of being worn out, I felt it. I wasn't as comfortable while doing my squats, crunches, weight training, etc. Now, my feet are happy again; I hope yours are, too.