Have you ever experienced tripping over your worn-out heels? How about getting blisters from your new pair of kicks? Shoe discomfort is not uncommon, especially when you’ve been using your shoes the wrong way. If your shoes are giving you a major headache, you’ve come to the right place. Below, we’ve rounded up a list of shoe hacks to make your walking experience more comfortable than ever.
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Choose Antimicrobial Socks
Microbes thrive in the warm and moist environment provided by closed shoes and sweaty feet, and this causes foot odour. Luckily, it’s easy to keep foot odour at bay just by wearing antimicrobial socks for women and men. Antimicrobial socks are treated with a special formula that resists the growth of unwanted bacteria and slows down their odour-producing activity. The treated fabric also helps keep your feet safe from pathogens that may cause skin infections.
Protect Your Toes With Toe Shields and Bunion Guards
While pointed-toe shoes like stilettos and dress shoes look chic and stylish, the narrow space tends to squeeze your feet into an awkward position. Over time, this tightness can cause blisters, bunions, calluses, and even ingrown nails. If you enjoy wearing this type of shoe, you can help prevent foot problems by using protective inserts. Toe shields and bunion guards are made of a soft gel cushioning that protects your toes from unwanted bumps by relieving pressure around your joints, reducing friction, and aligning the toes.
Get Rid of Muscle Cramps Using Gel Arch Insoles
If you’re one of the many people who tend to get arch and muscle cramps from wearing high heels, then you’re definitely going to benefit from wearing gel insoles. Gel insoles are a great alternative to rigid insoles that are sometimes painful to wear. They prevent your feet from slipping forward due to the steep slope of your shoes, thereby reducing discomfort in your arch and toes. By providing good heel support, gel insoles can make wearing heels a lot less uncomfortable.
You can find great orthotic insoles for things like Plantar Fasciitis from Docpods Australia.
Avoid Wearing Heavy, Thick Socks
As much as you can, avoid wearing thick and heavy socks. These types of socks cause a lot of rubbing and friction that will eventually lead to bumps and blisters, especially during hot weather. Instead, opt for socks made of thin, breathable material such as cotton. Apart from reducing friction, thin socks also lessen perspiration, keeping your feet sweat- and odour-free.
Save Your Heels with Heel Caps
With prolonged use, heel tips get worn down and become uneven. The exposed inner tips create an unstable platform that can lead to balancing issues and make the wearer prone to slippage and rolled ankles. To avoid these kinds of accidents, it is recommended to replace your worn-out heel tips with new heel caps. The process is simple and easy, so you can do it yourself without spending a lot at the shoe repair shop.
Go For Slip-Ons
Slip-on crocs shoes are extremely convenient to wear, and they are a saving grace on days when there’s barely time to prepare. Most slip-ons are made of breathable, soft, and flexible materials that keep your feet comfortable throughout the day. Slip-ons are also designed to be lightweight, so you can walk with less strain and weight in each step. Whether you’re making a trip to the grocery store or just fetching mail, slip-ons can definitely make your walking experience a lot better.
Don’t Wait Until You Break In Your New Shoes
A common mistake many people tend to make is breaking in a new pair of shoes while wearing them for the first time. Doing so can result in nasty blisters and cuts. The best way to break in your new pair is to walk them indoors for an hour or so. This way, you can feel if there are any tight spots or areas that cause discomfort. Before taking your shoes out, make sure to place some padding around those areas to loosen them up a bit and make your shoes more comfortable to wear.
Add Extra Room with a Leather Stretching Spray
Wearing shoes that are too tight can lead to painful blisters. If it turns out that your newly purchased pair pinches in all the wrong places, use a leather stretching spray. These sprays contain special conditioners that soften the leather, making your shoes more stretchy. Just spray it all over the inside of your shoes and wear them along with socks for a few hours. You may also use a shoe-stretcher to further widen the shaft of your shoes.
Apply Some Foot Powder
Foot powder is an easy solution to control moisture, lessen foot odour, and relieve irritated skin. It contains active ingredients such as salicylic acid that helps the skin shed dead skin cells, reducing dry skin, redness, and swelling in your feet. It also has antiperspirants that eliminate foot odour caused by the accumulation of sweat. Apply foot powder before heading out for maximum comfort.
Shoes are an essential part of one’s wardrobe, so they must be comfortable and easy to wear. Whatever pair you decide to wear today, these shoe hacks will have your feet thanking you at the end of the day.
