Monthly Archives: February 2014

88% of US Women Wear the Wrong Size Shoes

A study by the American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society found that 88% of women in the United States wear shoes that are too small and 55% have bunions.

Bunions are nine times more common in women than men. The most common cause of bunions is the prolonged wearing of poorly fitting shoes, usually those with a narrow, pointed toe box that squeezes the toes into an unnatural position. Bunions also may be caused by arthritis or polio: a sometimes painful structural deformity of the bones and the joint between the foot and big toe.

The big toe may turn in toward the second toe and tissues around the joint may be swollen or tender, causing a bump on the side of the big toe.

Prevention: You can keep bunions from growing painful often by switching to shoes that fit properly and don't compress the toes.

Some advice from foot experts at Penn State College of Medicine: Don't select shoes by size because sizes can vary