Why do my work boots hurt my feet. As you may have read in another post I wrote on this site about how good steel-toed boots are for feet and posture, I was planning to buy a pair of these boots and wanted all the details to have before I started spending money.
Well, I bought the boots and they fit me pretty well but still, I felt my feet hurt after working all day and not just from standing and working all day.
So I went back to the drawing board to try and get the most out of my boots. In my case, it was about getting new templates, but there are some other problem areas you might want to look into.
How do I keep my feet from hurting in steel-toed boots?
The most important thing to consider if your feet hurt from wearing boots is whether you have the right size boots. Boots that are too tight or too loose will have problems with fit and worsen posture, causing foot pain, and steel-toed boots with only half the wrong number can be disastrous.
Second, make sure you wear high-quality insoles that provide adequate cushioning and support. Finally, implement proper maintenance procedures for your boots to ensure they last a while and maintain their shape and comfort for longer.
How to check the size of steel toe boots?
Most people and most shoe manufacturers think that shoe sizes go up in half-point increments. So you could be a 10 or a 10.5 or an 11 and so on. However, when it comes to good work boots or even quality ski boots, you really should look at quarter size increments.
So you could be a 10, a 10 and ¼, a 10.5, a 10 and ¾ or an 11, and so on. Making sure you use this scale when evaluating your shoes can help you identify the source of your foot pain.
When shopping, take your time to make sure the boots fit you perfectly. A quick rule of thumb is that the arch of the boot is directly under the arch of the foot and the ball of your foot is at the widest point of the boot. If for some reason you already have a pair that is too tight at the toe, here's how to widen the boot.
How can you provide arch support for your feet?
I mentioned before that I ended up buying new insoles, despite buying some of the best-rated steel-toed boots on the market. They fit perfectly and even the old insole provided adequate support. But when you're on your feet all day, and I can't even imagine how the pros do year after year, you need the best.
Therefore, the best method of getting arch support from steel-toed boots is to use high-quality insoles designed to provide the proper cushioning and support for your arches. Steel-toed shoemakers are not insole designers and it really shows in the quality of their insoles.
You can also try getting custom insoles instead of typical arch supports, but that depends on how comfortable you are with the ones on the market.
Are high-heeled boots bad for you?
Another reason why your feet hurt from wearing steel-toed boots could be a higher heel level. The higher heels of steel-toed boots improve traction and grip and improve the tread pattern against rough trails, but they can also damage foot and leg muscles and cause a lot of pain.
A higher than normal heel level inhibits proper blood circulation due to an unnatural foot position. The calf muscles are always tense and the thighs are always tense. In the worst cases, higher heels can even cause arthritis in your joints and damage your lower back muscles.
You can take care of this by being more careful about the height of your heels when buying boots. Don't buy a pair with extra high heels, that will only hurt you in the long run.
Another way to tackle this problem is to re-use high-quality insoles that are well-balanced and complement your natural foot position. Such templates can be a bit pricey, but they are worth the price.
How do you keep your feet dry in steel-toed boots?
Moisture can do some pretty nasty things to nature, let alone to the environment in your shoes. Excess moisture from sweat in the boots can lead to the growth of bacteria and fungi. In addition, the compression and temperature in the shoes provide the ideal conditions for their growth.
Therefore, if the humidity in the boots is not kept low and the feet are not kept dry, the bacteria can cause serious diseases and infections.
Steel-toed boots can trap moisture if they're too tight or if the socks you're wearing are making you sweat a lot. Boots that are too tight don't let air in, so poor ventilation traps moisture.
This trapped moisture, together with the warmth of the foot, causes problems. Socks should also be lightweight and allow your foot to breathe so you sweat less and stay dry.
Another method is to use drying powders in the shoes to absorb all the moisture and keep the atmosphere of the shoe dry.