Why Women Need More Foot Care Than Men
Just in time for March 8th’s International Women’s Day, we want to share a foot fact. Women are four times more likely than men to develop foot problems. Now, we don’t know exactly why that’s the case. But we do know of several factors that increase women’s risk for foot problems. So, today, we’ll look at the factors that increase your risk, as a woman, for specific foot conditions.
1. Wearing High Heels
Unlike men, many women regularly wear high heels. And that’s a big problem for your feet, for so many reasons. First, high heels shift your center of gravity, making you less stable. In turn, that increases your risk for trips and falls. Not to mention ankle sprains or even foot fractures!
Then, we have to consider the effect high heels have on the structures in your feet. Pointy-toed shoes put extra pressure on the bones in your toes. This can cause them to shift and may leave you with bunions and hammertoes.
But that’s not all. When you wear high heels, you put less weight on your heel. Meaning more weight—and pressure—lands on the balls of your foot. For many women, that extra pressure translates to pain in the ball of your foot. (This could be Metatarsalgia or Morton’s Neuroma. So you’ll need to see our Hamilton and Boone County podiatrist to get your diagnosis and treatment plan.)
2. Spa Visits
Because women visit nail salons more often than men, they’re more likely to develop nail infections. While many spas are sterile, some fail to properly clean their equipment. Especially the spa basins, where you soak your feet before you receive polish.
Because of spas, many women pick up foot fungus or even fungal nail infections at the nail salons. So, if you notice itching or odor on your foot after a pedicure, you may have athlete’s foot. Or, if your nail is thicker, changes color, crumbles or smells, you may have a fungal nail infection. And, in both cases, you’ll need to make an appointment right away to clear up the infection. Before it spreads!
3. Structural Differences
Again, while we don’t know why, we do know that women get more overuse injuries than men. [i] This means that active women—especially runners—need to worry about shin splints. Do you love to run and want to stay active without injury? Now’s the time to protect your health. Come into the office to talk about preventing running injuries. Together, we’ll come up with the best ways to prevent injury. From choosing the right shoes, to fitting you for orthotics, we’ll work together to protect your feet. On International Women’s day and all the other 364 days of the year!