As for what you might’ve heard about strengthening your feet by going barefoot? Yes, you may be able to tune up your intrinsic foot muscles (the ones between and around your toes) by walking sans shoes in short bursts—for example, while pacing around your home for 30 minutes—so long as you have no existing foot issues or pain. This way, you’re enlisting your foot muscles to provide you with the balance and stability that a shoe might typically offer. But Dr. Ward stresses that any kind of barefoot exercise training or running should only be done with the guidance of a podiatrist or physical therapist.
What to do instead: Wear shoes that support and cradle your feet whenever you’re going to be up and at ’em for a good while, whether you’re inside or outside. (Beyond expert-recommended running shoes, we have ideal options for walking, weightlifting, and really any type of workout you might be doing.) A little bit of barefoot strolling in your home is fine, but if you’re going to be on your feet for a long time or you deal with arch or heel pain, invest in a comfy pair of house shoes to ward off future foot problems.
Dr. DeLott also recommends designating a pair of supportive sneaks for high-impact workouts, even if you’re doing them in the comfort of your home. Whenever you’re jumping or doing any sort of plyometrics, your feet need stability and shock absorption to steer clear of overuse injuries like stress fractures, he says.
2. You wear running shoes that are worn out or don’t quite fit.
Like most things in life, running shoes do not last forever. They’re good for 300 to 500 miles of use, Dr. Ward says, which translates to roughly seven to 12 months if you’re running 10 miles a week. The more you use them past their prime, the greater discomfort and injury you put yourself at risk for, she says. That’s because the squishy midsole that cushions each footfall flattens with time, offloading the brunt of the impact onto your feet. And the outer treads can wear down, too, messing with your gait and causing you to disproportionately strain certain tendons while upping your risk of slipping.
Jogging around in the same shoes year after year also increases the chance that they no longer fit you. Not only can shoes warp in size with use, but also, the length and width of your feet will change over time due to things like aging, pregnancy, and weight fluctuations, Dr. Ward says. And it’s important to have a goldilocks fit—not too tight or too big—when it comes to running sneaks. Err on either side, and you risk corns, calluses, blisters, and damaged toenails, whether from the extra pressure of a too-small shoe, or from sliding and jamming up against the front of a too-large shoe, as SELF previously reported.
What to do instead: Replace your running shoes once you’ve maxed out their 300 to 500 miles of use, or if you’re noticing a dropoff in your pace or performance, or the arrival of new aches and pains, as SELF previously reported. Dr. Ward also suggests going to a sneaker store to get your feet measured annually and trying on shoes later in the day (when your feet are slightly swollen) for the best fit. You want to make sure there’s about a thumbnail’s-width of distance between your longest toe and the end of the shoe and that the toe box isn’t squishing your big toe or pinky (to avoid causing or worsening the discomfort of a bunion or hammertoe).
3. You dig out your own ingrown toenails.
It can be tempting to try to unearth a corner of a toenail that has burrowed its way beneath your cuticle using clippers and brute force. Freeing the intruder yourself may seem like the fastest way to resolve the pain and swelling surrounding it—but both Dr. Ward and Dr. DeLott strongly advise against it.
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