At least 75,000 miles can be accomplished by feet by the time a person reaches 50 [1]. We all wear these items. BUT… what are our shoes doing to our feet? Are the shoes you’re wearing good or bad for you?

However, our feet need to be in good condition to accomplish this, which is directly related to the SHOES we wear. Yes, we know that this can be an important part of our lives, and sometimes we wear shoes to protect our feet from the myriad of things that could harm us, including pointy edges, fungus, bacteria, viruses, and MUCH more. But who is protecting us from our shoes? Well, let’s dig a little deeper, shall we?

That’s the question we should be asking. BE AWARE that the shoes on your feet could be quite DETRIMENTAL to your foot health if you wear the WRONG type of shoes.

The one you wear could help or worsen the condition, particularly for certain people with ailments or health issues. Think about people with conditions like plantar fasciitis, poor circulatory issues, or diabetes. In these situations (and MANY others, too), wearing the wrong shoes can spell DOOM! So, without any delay, let’s discuss just what the seven worst shoes for your feet are and why you’d want this information before making shoe choices that can ruin your foot health!!

1. High, Stiletto-Type Heels

Have you admired those high stiletto shoes… possibly from a distance, OR do you HAVE some in your closet now?

Yes, these high-heeled shoes’ seemingly cool beauty can also be very deceptive. DO NOT be fooled! Feet were not meant to be placed at such an angle. If the position of the feet deviates too much from the normal angles, especially for PROLONGED periods, GUESS WHAT? You SUFFER!! Maybe not immediately, but over time this action of stretching the feet beyond their natural limits can be very bad for your feet. Do you hear people who wear high heels complain? Yes, indeed!! With these high-heeled shoes, the Achilles tendon can get stretched, and NO, this is not good. Stiletto heels can also cause calluses and unevenly distributed weight [2].

2. Ballet Flats

No, these are not ballet shoes that ballet dancers wear to dance ballet. However, these shoes have similar structures to the actual ballet shoes. Ballet flats are… well, FLAT and offer minimal support for the feet. The feet can move and sway within these shoes as you tread on surfaces. When such surfaces are uneven and potentially treacherous, ballet flats are LESS likely to give the feet the support needed. Especially around the foot arch area, support in these shoes is minimal. Due to the flatness of this shoe, there is typically insufficient padding on the insoles as well. Some people may try to add more insole padding after purchasing the shoes to help provide additional support.

3. Flip Flops

Yes, I know… I can almost hear you groan when you see that flip-flops made the list of worst shoes for your feet.

Honestly, flip-flops could probably win the award for worst shoe!!

Flip flops can be BAD NEWS for your feet because these shoes DO NOT have adequate foot support and, as a result, can lead to foot pain. While ballet flats may not typically affect a wide range of people, flip flops, on the other hand, could cast a wide net and come back with lots of victims! Research studies have shown that flip-flops increase peak plantar fascia pressures, and these types of shoes can place the feet at a greater risk for pathologic abnormalities [3].

4. Sandals

Sandals were quite popular in historical times and were a type of footwear that both males and females wore constantly.

Think back to the Roman Empire and the type of footwear you would associate with that era. Yep!! Sandals, right? Just like flip flops, sandals also fall into the category of providing poor support for the feet. Why do our feet need so much support? As we move our hands, this can be less impactful than moving our feet. When we move our feet, we are also moving the full weight of our body! Thus, there can be an increased chance of INJURY if we do not position the feet properly. New technologies are beginning to provide better support for some brands of these types of shoes, though. Uneven surfaces and improper shoe support can be the worst combination EVER! So, let’s stick to it that has PROPER SUPPORT!!

5. Pointed Shoes

Pointy shoes are just not natural. Take a LOOK at your feet right now … Make your feet POINT, or are your toes in a relaxed spread? Most likely, your feet are relaxed, sitting pretty at the end of your foot, and are not bunched up in pain, trying to point LIKE an arrow. This is the effect we get from it. We cannot magically transform our feet and toes into pointy little soldiers whenever we want to. The feet and toes were just NOT meant to be so pointy. When people wear it, they give room to the occurrence of inflammation and subsequent pain.

6. Platform Shoes

Platform shoes may look cushiony, but this can be far from the truth.

Unfortunately, the bottom part of platform shoes can be rigid, presenting unnatural foot support. Rather than let the foot flex naturally while working, it responds with rigidity, and this HURTS the feet! In addition to providing unnecessary rigidity for the feet, it may also provide high heels and the same stretching and pressure that high-heeled shoes provide. Another PROBLEM with it is the potential for ankle instability. Just take a LOOK at these shoes! By merely LOOKING at these, you can see how UNSTABLE the shoes are! With such high thresholds for instability, these are a BIG HAZARD!!

7. Worn-Out Shoes

If shoes are worn-out… and I mean TIRED, BROKEN DOWN, NO GOOD FOR ANYONE, you should THROW it OUT.

BESIDES creating injury, wearing it could make existing injuries worse. Don’t be tempted to keep it because if it’s worn, it has most likely lost its support, and as a result, it’s NO GOOD for you too. If you continue to wear it, you may create problems for your feet. For instance, imagine it was designed to support feet in a certain way, but these shoes lose their functionality over time. This absence of design functionality provides gaps in the function of the shoes through which serious injury could occur.

So, just how important are your shoes? Shoes that do not fit properly can be detrimental to foot health, and the forefoot is the main area of complaint about foot problems [4]. Wearing the wrong one can also exacerbate conditions like plantar fasciitis. While trying to stamp out heel and foot pain through treatment methods that include exercise routines, wearing the wrong one can create more harm than good. So, what can you do? You need to know about these worst shoes for your feet to get on the RIGHT track!

If you want to learn more about shoes and how they affect your foot pain, check out Plantar Fasciitis Relief In 7 Days.

Rick Kaselj, MS