5 Common Women’s Foot Health Challenges
When it comes to women’s foot health, female patients often face more concerns than our male patients. Why is that the case? From pregnancy to footwear, lifestyle can wreak havoc on women’s health. So, to keep our moms, daughters, sisters, aunts and grandmothers walking comfortably, were reviewing five common women’s foot health challenges. (And telling you how to overcome them!)
Why Women’s Foot Health Can be Challenging
As we mentioned, women often experience pregnancy in their lifetime, and that increases the risk for certain conditions such as lower leg swelling (edema.) It can also lead to general foot pain, or even flat feet, as extra weight loosens your ligaments and your arches collapse slightly.
Also, women may choose less supportive footwear, such as high heels or even flip flops. And these increase their risk for plantar fasciitis, bunions, hammertoes, neuromas or even sprained or broken ankles. Now you know the risks, let’s explore how to beat the odds.
Supporting Women’s Foot Health: Edema (Swelling)
With this condition, you retain fluid in your legs or ankles, leaving them swollen. This often happens when your pregnant but standing all day or other medical conditions can also contribute to your risk. Regardless of the cause, we can manage edema in several ways. First, try to get off your feet and rest throughout the day. (Ideally, you’ll elevate your feet above your heart to help fluid flow away from your lower body.) Also, if swelling is very troubling, you may benefit from a pair of compression socks, especially during pregnancy.
Bunions and Tailor’s Bunions
Men and women both get bunions or tailor’s bunions, but women deal with this foot health challenge more frequently. With a bunion, your big toe starts turning inward, pushing your metatarsophalangeal (MTP) joint outward so it forms a prominent bump. (If this happens to your baby toe, it’s called a bunionette or tailor’s bunion.)
Most often, genetics contributes to your bunion risk. But the shoes you wear can also contribute to bunion formation or make existing bunions larger or more painful. If you have a bunion already, we can pad or tape the bump to prevent pain. Orthotics can keep the bunion from growing larger. But only surgery will correct the deformity and restore the normal silhouette of your foot.
Hammertoes and Women’s Foot Health
Women’s footwear can also increase your risk for hammertoes. With this condition, changes to your toe joint lead to a permanent bend in the toe. Forcing your feet into pointy-toed shoes or leaving them gripping to keep flip flops in place can contribute to this deformity. But, since an imbalance in tendon and muscle strength is the ultimate reason hammertoes form, boosting support to your feet with orthotics can prevent hammertoes from forming, or help you manage less severe deformities.
Ball of Foot Pain: Neuromas
Here, again, the shoes women wear may lead to ball of foot pain. When you cram your feet into shoes that pinch, it forces the bones and muscles together. And that can compress the nerves in your feet, leading to burning pain.
There are several types of neuromas you may experience. Most common is Morton’s neuroma, caused by pressure and tissue thickening around the nerve that leads to your toes. We can help manage neuroma pain with shoe changes. Some women may find pain relief with MLS Laser Therapy. And, in extreme conditions, surgery can relieve your neuroma pain.
If any pain is disrupting your women’s foot health, we’re here to help. Make an appointment with our Westfield, IN podiatrist at the first sign of trouble. For most foot health concerns, early intervention means you’ll enjoy better results, and with less invasive treatments!