Here's why your feet hurt — and what you can do about it

Summary

Summary of "Here's Why Your Feet Hurt — and What You Can Do About It"

Life Kit by NPR, hosted by Mariel Segarra, delves into the often-overlooked world of foot health in the episode titled "Here's why your feet hurt — and what you can do about it," released on May 1, 2025. This comprehensive discussion underscores the importance of understanding foot anatomy, proper footwear, daily foot care, and proactive measures to prevent and address foot pain.

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1. Introduction: Beyond Aesthetics

Mariel Segarra opens the episode by acknowledging the complex emotions and societal perceptions surrounding feet. She references the prevalence of foot fetishes and the pressure some, especially Gen Zers, feel to conceal their feet entirely due to online cultures like WikiFeet. Segarra emphasizes the necessity of shifting focus from foot aesthetics to their functionality, setting the stage for a deeper exploration into foot health.

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2. The Anatomy and Function of Feet

Irene Davis, Professor of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Sciences at the University of South Florida, provides an insightful overview of foot anatomy:

“Oh, my gosh, our feet are so amazing. If you just think about the anatomy. We have 26 bones. We have 33 articulations, the six degrees of freedom of motion. And so these feet are complex, but they serve us many functions.” (01:20)

Davis highlights the feet's role as a base of support, a spring, and mobile adapters to uneven terrain, while also needing to be rigid for push-off during movement. She laments their underappreciation until dysfunction arises.

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3. Importance of Foot Care Before Problems Arise

Mariel stresses the significance of proactive foot care:

“We shouldn't wait for the worst to give our feet our full attention and care because they do a lot for us, starting with the 5,000 or so steps that we take on average every day.” (02:03)

Irene Davis adds:

“So there's 5,000 repetitions. So it's really the repetitive nature of walking and especially if something is not functioning correctly, it can add up.” (02:18)

This underscores the cumulative impact of daily foot use and the importance of maintaining foot health to prevent injuries.

---

4. Choosing the Right Footwear

Andy Tagle, the episode's foot health reporter, teams up with Chad Crawford, co-owner of Milestone Running in San Diego, to discuss proper footwear selection.

Chad demonstrates the shoe-fitting process:

“Have you go ahead and put your right foot on this measuring device. We call this a bronic device. And I'm gonna have you go ahead and put all your weight on that foot.” (06:09)

Key takeaways include:

• Proper Sizing: Chad emphasizes the importance of sizing up running shoes by half to a full size to accommodate foot swelling during activity.

  “I always think it's like the most important thing here. You know, some people think it's like, oh, what support category do I need to be in? But yeah, I think for general foot health, having enough space in a shoe is definitely going to be like the number one thing.” (07:10)

• Replacing Worn-Out Shoes: Shoes should be replaced every 6 to 12 months or after 350 to 500 miles of use to prevent reduced cushioning and increased injury risk.

  “It's a brisk Friday morning in the north park neighborhood of San Diego... maybe I had worn out shoes.” (05:36)

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5. Daily Foot Care and Health Checks

Ebony Vincent Sleet, a foot and ankle surgeon, underscores the importance of daily foot inspections:

“If nothing's wrong with your feet, you should at least get to know them a little bit... You should actually scrub the dirt off of your feet.” (11:14)

She highlights that:

• Skin Health: Maintaining clean and dry feet can prevent infections like athlete's foot, especially given the high concentration of sweat glands.

  “Excessive moisture on fungus, all you're doing is feeding it further.” (12:24)

• Monitoring Changes: Sudden swelling or discoloration can indicate broader health issues, such as cardiovascular problems.

Sleet advises against relying solely on home remedies or pedicures for foot issues, recommending professional consultation for persistent or severe symptoms.

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6. Strengthening the Foot Core

Irene Davis introduces the concept of the "foot core," akin to the body's central core muscles:

“These small muscles of the foot provide the stability so that the larger muscles that move the foot and ankle can do their job.” (16:05)

Foot Strengthening Exercises:

• Foot Doming: Pressing toes into the ground to activate arch muscles.

  “You pull the ball of the foot back towards the arch and squeeze your arch.” (16:44)

• Toe Yoga: Alternating between lifting the big toe and the lesser toes to enhance stability.

  “Lifting up your great toe while leaving the remaining toes on the ground.” (17:07)

• Calf Raises: Improving balance and controlling heel lowering to strengthen calf muscles.

  “It's not just bouncing up and down on your calves, but really trying to control... the eccentric phase.” (17:19)

Davis advocates for integrating these exercises into daily routines to bolster foot resiliency and prevent pain.

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7. Footwear Choices: Orthotics vs. Minimalist Shoes

The debate between supportive footwear and minimalist (barefoot) shoes is thoroughly examined.

Custom Orthotics:

• When Needed: Best suited for individuals with severe foot deformities, arthritis, diabetes complications, or specific injuries.

  “Pain will help you understand if you're making the right choice.” (19:14)

• Potential Risks: Over-reliance on orthotics can weaken foot muscles over time, similar to how continuous use of a back brace can impede neck strength.

  “If you had a back pain and you put a back brace on your back... you wouldn't want to keep that back brace on you for life.” (20:08)

Minimalist Shoes:

• Benefits: Strengthen foot muscles and enhance proprioception, the body's ability to sense movement and position.

  “Just like your regular core, you can strengthen your foot core regularly.” (16:13)

• Risks: Can lead to injuries if transitioned to too quickly without adequate conditioning.

  “It's like going to the gym and lifting £100 when you've never lifted. And getting injured.” (22:45)

Research Insights:

• A 2014 military study involving over 7,000 participants found no difference in injury rates between those matched with supportive footwear based on foot type and those given neutral shoes.

  “They showed no difference in injury.” (21:42)

This suggests that for individuals with average foot health, focusing on muscle strength and natural foot function may be more beneficial than relying heavily on supportive footwear or orthotics.

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8. Key Takeaways

The episode distills its insights into four main takeaways:

1. Good Footwear is Good Foot Care: Replace walking and exercise shoes every 500 miles and ensure a proper fit to prevent pain and injury.

   “Good footwear is good foot care. That means replacing your walking and exercise shoes every 500 miles or so...” (25:00)

2. Regular Foot Inspections: Daily checks for changes in color, growths, or discoloration can indicate larger health issues. Maintain foot hygiene and address any skin or nail concerns promptly.

   “Check in with your feet on a regular basis...” (10:43)

3. Strengthen Your Foot Core: Incorporate simple exercises like calf raises and foot doming into your routine to enhance foot strength and prevent injury.

   “Adding simple exercises like calf raises and foot doming to your daily routine can help you avoid pain and injury.” (26:43)

4. Mindful Footwear Choices: Understand the balance between supportive footwear and natural foot strength. Transition gradually when changing shoe types to avoid injuries, and consult trusted professionals when in doubt.

   “Choose wisely and make any transition from one shoe type to the other slowly to avoid injury.” (25:12)

The episode concludes by reiterating that each individual's feet are unique, advocating for personalized approaches to foot health to ensure longevity and comfort.

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9. Conclusion

"Here's why your feet hurt — and what you can do about it" serves as an enlightening guide on foot health, emphasizing the blend of proper footwear, daily care, and proactive strengthening. By understanding the complexities of foot anatomy and the impact of our choices, listeners are empowered to take meaningful steps towards healthier, pain-free feet.

Notable Quotes:

• Irene Davis on foot complexity: “We have 26 bones. We have 33 articulations...” (01:20)
• Chad Crawford on shoe sizing: “Having enough space in a shoe is definitely going to be like the number one thing.” (07:10)
• Dr. Adam 1040 on footwear support: “We would be better off going back to the basics of looking at strength and function and mobility...” (19:33)
• Irene Davis on minimalist shoes: “You want to be able to roll your shoes up in a ball...” (22:31)

By following the expert advice and insights shared in this episode, individuals can significantly improve their foot health and overall quality of life.

Transcript

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[Mariel Segarra]

You're listening to Life Kit from npr. Hey, everybody, it's Marielle. All right, y'all, I'm starting this episode with a deep sigh because. Because we are talking about feet. And it's a deep sigh because feet elicit a lot of strong feelings. Everything from the shape of someone's toes, the height of their arch, the skin of their heel, the overall look and smell can provoke insecurity, disgust, even deep fear. And then there's the wikifeet side of the spectrum. If you're not familiar, that is a foot fetish website where people post photos of celebrities feet and and rate them. A couple years ago, the Huffington Post published an article proclaiming that the unruly online culture around feet has made a lot of gen zers want to hide their feet away almost entirely. And let me tell you, I can relate to that. So, yeah, we can get weird about the aesthetics of our feet, but let's take a step back, okay. And think about the utility of feet.

[Irene Davis]

Oh, my gosh, our feet are so amazing. If you just think about the anatomy. We have 26 bones. We have 33 articulations, the six degrees of freedom of motion. And so these feet are complex, but they serve us many functions.

[Mariel Segarra]

Irene Davis really knows feet. She's a professor of physical therapy and rehab sciences at the University of South Florida, and she has spent decades researching the biomechanics of feet in the lower extremities.

[Irene Davis]

They're a base of support. They can become a spring. They become mobile adapters to uneven terrain, and yet sometimes they have to be rigid for push off. So, yes, they're really critical structures, and I think they're very, very highly underappreciated.

[Mariel Segarra]

That is, oftentimes until something goes wrong. She says, like we get hurt or lose function, but we shouldn't wait for the worst to give our feet our full attention and care because they do a lot for us, starting with the 5,000 or so steps that we take on average every day.

[Irene Davis]

So there's 5,000 repetitions. So it's really the repetitive nature of walking and especially if something is not functioning correctly, it can add up.

[Mariel Segarra]

On this episode of Life Kit, Everyday foot health reporter Andy Tagle is going to help us get to know and appreciate our feet. She'll talk with experts about common types of foot pain and what you can do at home to treat them and walk you through the surprisingly complex world of footwear Recommendations.

[Andy Tagle]

Foreign.

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[Andy Tagle]

From media to tech to politics, the world around us is changing. Sometimes it's hard to know what you can rely on or trust. Your support means that N will be here for you tomorrow and the next day and the day after that. We're not going anywhere. Show up for public media for public media giving days. Make your gift [e-mail] thank you so much for this education.

[Chad Crawford]

Yeah, absolutely.

[Andy Tagle]

We've got a lot of ground to cover, folks, so I'm gonna hit the ground running. Literally. Our first takeaway. Good footwear is good foot care. Get up to date on basic best practices for sizing up new kicks and tossing out old ones.

[Chad Crawford]

We're going to go kind of towards the outside of the sidewalk here where it's a little less slanted, and then I'm just going to watch you run down to the end of the block and back closer to the road.

[Andy Tagle]

It's a brisk Friday morning in the north park neighborhood of San Diego I've come to Milestone Running, a specialty running store where co owner and co founder Chad Crawford mercifully met with me an hour before opening to demonstrate the shoe fitting process. Part of it is giving some shoes a spin and watching how you run in them. Whether or not you're actually an athlete, it can be very hard not to be self conscious of my running. Listen, I walked into this story with a lot of assumptions about what my feet did or did not need. Maybe you can relate.

[Chad Crawford]

Have you go ahead and put your right foot on this measuring device. We call this a bronic device. And I'm gonna have you go ahead and put all your weight on that foot. It kind of allows the foot to totally splay out and we can.

[Andy Tagle]

I couldn't tell you the last time I bothered to step on one of those contraptions. For example, as someone lucky enough to use her feet every day, I figured surely I already knew everything there was to know about them.

[Chad Crawford]

So you're actually measuring right at about a six.

[Andy Tagle]

Oh, so yeah. Turns out even bare bones basics like my true shoe size had that wrong. See, you want to get checked every so often because even though generally the bones of your feet stop growing longer when you stop growing in height, your shoe size can still change, famously due to pregnancy, but also from things like weight fluctuations, aging, wear and tear. And that was just a start. Chad says he generally suggests wearing a half size to a full shoe size up in running shoes because your feet often swell when you walk or run for long periods of time.

[Chad Crawford]

I always think it's like the most important thing here. You know, some people think it's like, oh, what support category do I need to be in? But yeah, I think for general foot health, having enough space in a shoe is definitely going to be like the number one thing.

[Andy Tagle]

So space is one. Now let's talk about how else to evaluate if, like me, you might be due for a new pair of walking or running shoes.

[Chad Crawford]

Man, I can tell you already, these are old. You got the foam coming out the back part of the heel.

[Andy Tagle]

I know.

[Chad Crawford]

Tread's completely worn off. How long have you had these?

[Andy Tagle]

Would you say general guidance says you want to replace your shoes every six to 12 months, or we typically will.

[Dr. Adam 1040]

Say 350 to 500 miles. Common errors, of course, are that maybe you both run and walk around in the same pair of shoes? Well, all those miles count.

[Andy Tagle]

Meet Dr. Adam 1040, a former competitive long distance runner and professor in physical.

[Dr. Adam 1040]

Medicine and rehabilitation at Harvard Medical School, where I serve as the director of Ronnie Medicine and Shockwave medicine for Mass General Brigham Healthcare.

[Andy Tagle]

He says it's important to regularly replace your shoes because for one, if you're used to a lot of cushion when you exercise, remember all that padding will slowly wear away from use friction with the ground weather and that shoe will start to put more and more demand on your foot and ankle, which can make you more prone to injury.

[Dr. Adam 1040]

Another piece is that we're asking our foot to be supported by this footwear. And so if other aspects of the footwear are wearing out, it affects our biomechanics with walking and with other daily function.

[Andy Tagle]

For the front of your shoe or your toe box, you need the rule of thumb.

[Chad Crawford]

As in, you should have about a half to a thumb's width between the end of the toe and the shoe.

[Andy Tagle]

And that's your longest toe. To be clear, you need wiggle room. In fact, you want space for your toes in all directions. For all types of shoes, wearing the.

[Dr. Erica Rowe Urquhart]

Heels first be very judicious. When you're thinking about the toe box, that's probably the most important thing.

[Andy Tagle]

This is Dr. Erica Rowe Urquhart, an orthopedic surgeon who shares a private practice.

[Dr. Erica Rowe Urquhart]

With her husband, Urquhart Orthopaedic Associates.

[Andy Tagle]

Fear not, my fellow high heel lovers. She gets it.

[Dr. Erica Rowe Urquhart]

There are some high heeled shoes with red bottoms and names shall remain nameless that I love and I have a few pairs of that I have no business owning because the toe box is very narrow and they're very painful.

[Andy Tagle]

But Erica says you can still have healthy feet and wear your favorite fashionable shoes. You just have to be smart about when and where you wear them.

[Dr. Erica Rowe Urquhart]

There are time limits. Oh, these are two hour shoes, these are four hour shoes, these are six hour shoes.

[Andy Tagle]

And then, let's be real, they're those shoes that are strictly for the outfit picture. So bring those back up flats to the party, commute in your tennis and listen to your body friend.

[Dr. Erica Rowe Urquhart]

Pain will help you understand if you're making the right choice.

[Andy Tagle]

Studies show high heel wearing, perhaps unsurprisingly, can increase your risk for bunions or make matters worse if you have one and is associated with numerous foot injuries. Ebony Vincent Sleet, a doctor of podiatric medicine, says neuromas, specifically Morton's neuromas, are one particularly painful example. They're sometimes described as like constantly stepping on a marble and can be caused by compression of the toes, often from narrow, pointy toe boxes.

[Ebony Vincent Sleet]

And aesthetically, you look fine. There's nothing wrong with your foot, but inside your nerve is Screaming, you know, so there are consequences to putting your foot into a hostile environment.

[Andy Tagle]

Ebony is a foot and ankle surgeon in private practice throughout Southern California. You might have seen her on the TLC show My Feet are Killing Me. She says it's important to take just a little bit of time to inspect your feet every day. She'll bring us into takeaway 2. Check in with your feet daily. You might be totally missing things.

[Ebony Vincent Sleet]

If nothing's wrong with your feet, you should at least get to know them a little bit. I know sometimes people don't look at things that aren't problematic, right? I've had patients who have told me they don't actually scrub their feet in the shower. Like, they just kind of let the soap roll over them. You know, you should actually scrub the dirt off of your feet.

[Andy Tagle]

Now, this episode focuses mostly on mobility and footwear, not skin and nails, because that's a whole other ball game. But just note, being conscious of your skin and toenails are a big part of overall foot health, and problems at the ground level could portend larger body issues, so they shouldn't be ignored. For just one example, sudden swelling in the feet and ankles could be a sign of cardiovascular issues. So best practice, make sure the skin on your feet is intact. If you do have cuts, sores, or blisters, take extra care to keep your feet clean and dry to avoid infection. And on that note, did you know that you have more sweat glands in the palms of your hands and soles of your feet than almost anywhere else on your body? Excessive sweating is one factor that can put you at high risk for athlete's foot, which is caused by a type of fungus. It's a super common ailment that Ebony says people misidentify all the time.

[Ebony Vincent Sleet]

It looks dry. It's like peeling kind of skin. And so, you know, people come like, I've tried every lotion imaginable. I've tried all kinds of things. But when I see their feet and I'm like, oh, well, it's not going to be cured because this is a fungus. And when you put excessive moisture on fungus, all you're doing is feeding it further.

[Andy Tagle]

Bothered by corns, cracks, or calluses, Dr. Google doesn't always have the right answer. And a pedicure isn't always a solution or even a good idea. Always consult an expert if you have concerns or note any big or sudden changes like swelling or discoloration.

[Ebony Vincent Sleet]

I usually allow patients to send a picture, send a text, you know, making sure that we are not in an emergency. And then at that point, if you still feel like you need to come in, let's have you come in.

[Andy Tagle]

Another thing to be aware of the sensations in and of your feet. Like, you know that pins and needles feeling when your foot falls asleep. If you find that kind of thing or something similar, muscle weakness, numbness, decreased feeling is persistent, not just a reaction to an odd sitting position. It might be a sign of peripheral neuropathy. That's nerve damage or dysfunction, which can be experienced on a spectrum and can be caused by a number of underlying health conditions. It's a common concern for people with diabetes, but it's not exclusive to that condition. So Ebony says if you're worried about any sensations that arise, persist or worsen, talk to your doctor. And then of course, there's how your feet move. Get a non slip grip on foot strings. If you're listening to this episode, I'm guessing it's because you're a person with feet who maybe deals with the odd foot cramp or the every so often foot pain and wants to know, hey man, what gives? Well, there are a number of common foot ailments caused from stress and overuse of the foot that probably sound familiar, namely Achilles tendonitis, posterior tibial tendonitis, plantar fasciopathy, or plantar fasciitis. Now, you might not know what exactly you're dealing with because we all cope and compensate for foot pain in different ways. So Adam says in his clinic he'll sometimes ask patients to just walk and then see what he notices. A toe pointed out might suggest deficits in the hip, for example, or maybe one ankle doesn't bend as much as the other. But these aren't things you just want to learn to live with.

[Dr. Adam 1040]

Seen significant asymmetries where someone can't move normally, that really places people at risk for other injuries. Or as we age, it places people at risk for falls, which you know are one of the leading causes of significant morbidity and even mortality.

[Andy Tagle]

To clarify, that's for adults over 65. Anyway, you get it. Foot pain can significantly impact your quality of life, not just, you know, how often you can beat your personal record on the treadmill. But what might surprise you is just how much power you have to curb your own aches and pains. Here's professor and researcher Irene Davis again.

[Irene Davis]

I think what people need to realize is that they have these amazing muscles in their feet and they actually have the ability to increase the strength and capacity of their feet, which can help with the pain.

[Andy Tagle]

Ever heard of your Foot core. There's a whole lot of talk about the importance of core stability. When you exercise. You know, all those trunk muscles like your obliques or other abdominal muscles, plus a bunch of tiny muscles that support those bigger ones in keeping you strong in limber, your foot core less visible, less celebrated, but the same kind of deal.

[Irene Davis]

These small muscles of the foot provide the stability so that the larger muscles that move the foot and ankle can do their job.

[Andy Tagle]

And just like your regular core, you can strengthen your foot core regularly. Going to the foot gym has been proven to help some of those most common foot pains. No gym or athletic footwear required. In fact, Adam says, by all means, practice in little spurts. When you're in line at the market or brushing your teeth, just get into the habit. Like, you might start your day with a little footsie. Warm up, rotate your ankles, or Ebony says simply stretch your toes against a.

[Ebony Vincent Sleet]

Wall, hold it for 30 seconds, do that three times, and do it three times a day.

[Andy Tagle]

Then you might go for 10 reps of short foot exercises, also known as foot doming.

[Irene Davis]

You press your toes into the ground, try not to flex them, but press them into the ground. And then you pull the ball of the foot back towards the arch and squeeze your arch. So the idea is that you're trying to really activate those muscles in the arch to raise the arch.

[Andy Tagle]

Next up, toe yoga or toga, try.

[Dr. Adam 1040]

Lifting up your great toe while leaving the remaining toes on the ground. Then keep the big toe on the ground and lift the lesser toes off the ground.

[Irene Davis]

The muscle that, that does this to your big toe, it's called abduction of your big toe, is really important for stability as you're pushing off.

[Andy Tagle]

And then calf raises are a good idea to help you with balance and.

[Dr. Adam 1040]

Not just bouncing up and down on your calves, but really trying to control what we call the eccentric phase, which is lowering the heel gradually to the ground.

[Andy Tagle]

And one final option I love for warming up or cooling down at the end of the day, hold hands with.

[Dr. Erica Rowe Urquhart]

Your feet to do like a personal massage. So actually sort of interlacing your fingers between the toes and then massaging your foot and rotating the foot and ankle, releasing some of that tension that might be there.

[Andy Tagle]

So maybe at this point you're thinking, sure, all this sounds well and good, but couldn't I just opt for some custom orthotics if I'm having foot pain? Short answer, yes, you could, whether or not you should. Well, that's where we need to tread lightly. Takeaway 4. Aren't you sure you need extra support. Don't just toe the line. Understand the debate around modern footwear before you buy your next pair. So if you've bought a pair of walking or running shoes in the last 50 years or so, you've likely been told it's best to opt for a pair that matches your foot type to avoid pain and injury. And in some cases, that might be the exact right thing to do.

[Dr. Adam 1040]

A very advanced foot and ankle condition. Or you'll have someone with a neurological injury where they really need corrective footwear long term.

[Andy Tagle]

If you suffer from large foot deformities, severe arthritis, or suffer from complications due to diabetes or an injury, for example, custom orthotics or specialized footwear might be best suited to your needs. Or as Erica, an orthopedic surgeon who works with a lot of athletes, told us, she recommends supportive footwear and orthotics as needed to help her patients improve performance and alleviate pain symptoms.

[Dr. Erica Rowe Urquhart]

Pain will will help you understand if you're making the right choice.

[Andy Tagle]

One 2022 study on people diagnosed with plantar fasciitis, for instance, showed that more supportive shoes led to less pain. But Adam says for average walkers, people with more or less healthy feet who suffer minor aches and pains, we probably.

[Dr. Adam 1040]

Don'T need as much cushioning and we don't need as much focus on orthosis to maintain the function of the feet. And we would be better off going back to the basics of looking at strength and function and mobility to have the healthiest feet possible, and from there figuring out how much support the feet need. The number of times I prescribed custom orthosis for long term is on one hand, Irene says.

[Andy Tagle]

If you have average feet and you find yourself experiencing some pain, it's not a bad idea to support those feet temporarily.

[Irene Davis]

If you had a back pain and you put a back brace on your back just, just to kind of tide you over while you're having that pain. But you wouldn't want to keep that, that back brace on you for life.

[Andy Tagle]

Irene says this is her issue with overly supportive shoes and foot orthotics, tools that she once made herself and taught people about early in her career. By the way, you wouldn't want to immobilize the muscles of, say, your neck long term because that would weaken those neck muscles over time and you wouldn't.

[Irene Davis]

Be able to hold your head up.

[Andy Tagle]

But depending on who your podiatrist is, this sentiment might feel really odd, counterintuitive even, because the prevailing wisdom in most circles is to match the footwear to the foot. And this generally leads people to highly cushioned, highly supportive shoes as a starting point. So if you have a high arch.

[Dr. Adam 1040]

You probably should be in a more cushioned shoe. And if you have a really low arch, you should be in a more supportive shoe.

[Andy Tagle]

And for a neutral arch, a neutral shoe meaning flexible, lightweight, not too many stabilizing elements. And for certain activities, there is definitely good reason to be selective and protective. One recent study showed orthotics improved comfort while running. Also, specialized shoes for certain sports are a very good idea.

[Ebony Vincent Sleet]

Everyone's playing pickleball and they can play a new sport in the wrong shoes. And I can't tell you the amount of fifth metatarsal fractures and peroneal tendon tears.

[Andy Tagle]

But one piece of data that really stopped me in my tracks on the promise of supportive footwear was a large scale study of over 7,000 participants across three branches of the military in 2014.

[Dr. Adam 1040]

Where they tried to match people's foot type to footwear and compared that to people that were just given a neutral shoe and they showed no difference in injury.

[Irene Davis]

That is really the purpose of having that foot tight match to the shoe. The idea was that it would help to reduce injuries. There's no reduction in injuries at all.

[Andy Tagle]

Now. Participants were generally healthy, so it wasn't a study of acute foot pain or foot injury. Just to note, on the other side of the spectrum are minimalist or barefoot shoes. Footwear that doesn't offer much, if any, cushion or arch support. Irene says basically you want to be able to roll your shoes up in a ball, which is the polar opposite of what many podiatrists suggest. And yet, she says to date, just about every study she has found looking at minimal shoes, whether it's walking or.

[Irene Davis]

Running, and has looked at the effect of minimal footwear on the size of the muscles or the strength of the muscles or the volume of the muscles. Has shown that minimal shoes lead to stronger feet.

[Andy Tagle]

However, research has also shown that minimal shoes can lead to injury. Irene says that's because making the switch to this type of shoe requires a slow ramp up period, especially if you're used to a lot of cushion or motion control or you regularly wear orthotics.

[Irene Davis]

It's like going to the gym and lifting £100 when you've never lifted. And getting injured. Nobody would say, don't go to the gym. We know going to the gym is good for you. Just don't do it that way.

[Andy Tagle]

There isn't a perfect regimen you should follow if you want to make the switch. But if you have inserts, you're going to have to slowly wean yourself off of those first. And then she suggests slowly starting to incorporate your minimal shoes into your daily routine, bit by bit, maybe for a morning walk to start, then the morning's errands. The pace and rigor of incorporating minimal shoes into your life, she says, will depend on your individual capacity.

[Irene Davis]

Someone who's done a lot of gymnastics, for example, where they've actually had to use their feet quite a bit, then they might be able to transition faster. If you have some soreness in your feet, take a day off, come back to it after a day, stay at that level, don't increase, and then just increase a little more slowly.

[Andy Tagle]

Minimalist shoes have also been criticized for their lack of shock absorption option, but Irene dismisses this too. She says our feet are adapted for all kinds of surfaces. There are plenty of places around the world where barefoot walking is the norm, for example. And it's why, with proper conditioning ramping up, people can run the Boston Marathon all concrete. Barefoot. Fully feeling the surface you're traveling on increases your proprioception or your body's ability to sense its own movement, location and action without the use of just sight. It's critical and worth mentioning that all of our experts agree it's a good idea for young kids to walk around barefoot or in minimally supportive shoes to develop those sensory skills. And research shows that kids that use minimal shoes in the long term benefit from them. Investing in your foot health. It's worth considering no matter your age.

[Irene Davis]

If you make your feet nice and strong and keep them strong, you're going to have more resiliency against your feet breaking down later. It's like, should you do back exercises or should you keep your core strong? If you're not having a problem, I think you should. I think you still should.

[Andy Tagle]

At the end of the day. Of course, we're all walking or running our own paths, so what are you looking for in your footwear? No matter your choice, be thoughtful with how you dress your feet.

[Dr. Adam 1040]

We wear shoes for multiple reasons. We wear it for fashion, we wear it for, for performance, we wear it for general health. But it's recognizing that each type of footwear places different demands through the foot and ankle. And those those changes need to be done gradually.

[Andy Tagle]

And if ever you're not sure exactly what your next move should be, find a provider that you trust. And it just has to be said, take it one step at a time.

[Dr. Adam 1040]

That's a great pun, but it's, it's well landed. You need to take it one step at a time. You need to have a systematic approach.

[Andy Tagle]

Okay friends, let's walk it back and recap what we've learned. Takeaway 1 Good footwear is good foot care. That means replacing your walking and exercise shoes every 500 miles or so and making sure the new ones fit you correctly. And if you're going to wear uncomfortable shoes, make sure to give yourself regular breaks to avoid pain and injury. Takeaway 2 Check in with your feet on a regular basis. Changes in color, growths, discoloration could tell you something about your health, from circulation issues to skin cancers. Consider a foot strengthening regimen. Adding simple exercises like calf raises and foot foaming to your daily routine can help you avoid pain and injury. Takeaway 4 There's mixed messaging out there about how much support the foot really needs from your shoes and orthotics. Ultimately, what type of foot wear is best for you is up to you, and what you think is best for the health and longevity of your feet. Choose wisely and make any transition from one shoe type to the other slowly to avoid injury. Every foot is different and everyone is walking their own path.

[Mariel Segarra]

That was Life Kit reporter Andy Tagle. For more Life Kit, check out our other episodes. We've got one on preventing eye strain and another on protecting your hearing. You can find [e-mail] LifeKit and if you love Life Kit and want even more, subscribe to our [e-mail] LifeKitnewsletter Also, we love hearing from you, so if you have episode ideas or feedback you want to share, email [e-mail] this episode of Life Kit was produced by Margaret Serino. Our visuals editor is Beck Harlan and our digital editor is Malika Green. Meghan Keane is our supervising editor and Beth Donovan is our executive producer. Our production team also includes Claire Marie Schneider, Sam Yellowhorse, Kessler, and Sylvie Douglas. Engineering support comes from Zoe Vangenhoven. Special thanks to Greta Pittenger and Barclay Walsh. I'm Mariel Segarra. Thanks for listening.

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