Making heels more comfortable

[Lau Mo]

I did a search for this and didn't see any threads directly related so:

How do you gals make your heels (and any stiff shoe really) more comfortable?

It seems that every shoe I get rubs my heels, or the side of my foot. I also find the toe area of most shoes too narrow, as I have very long toes, so I get blisters EVERYWHERE!

I have tried putting bandaids on the spots, but they just wear off. And when I talk about rubbing, I mean to the point where my feet are bleeding.

Please help!

 

[volatile]

I did a search for this and didn't see any threads directly related so:

How do you gals make your heels (and any stiff shoe really) more comfortable?

It seems that every shoe I get rubs my heels, or the side of my foot. I also find the toe area of most shoes too narrow, as I have very long toes, so I get blisters EVERYWHERE!

I have tried putting bandaids on the spots, but they just wear off. And when I talk about rubbing, I mean to the point where my feet are bleeding.

Please help!

Party Feet: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Scholl-Party-Feet-Gel-Cushions/dp/B0012NVY40

 

[LizzieMaine]

The most important thing is to make sure your shoes are the right size -- it's a lot harder to do that nowadays since shoes actually don't come in a wide enough range of sizes to fit everyone. There used to be a full range of widths, from AAAA (extra extra narrow) to EEEEE (extra extra wide), but modern shoes are generally made only in generic "Narrow", "Medium" and "Wide," and if you don't happen to fit those standard sizes, as a great many of us don't, you're going to have discomfort.

One good thing to do would be to actually have your feet measured at the shoe store -- a lot of us go for years wearing the same size out of habit, but feet change even if we don't realize it.

If you've got a favorite pair of shoes that rubs wrong, have you considered using a shoe-stretcher device? These can sometimes give you a little space where you need it. If it's a matter of the height of the heel forcing your toes forward into the toe box, maybe a little moleskin applied to the inside of the shoe might help?

Sometimes, though, there's nothing one can do but avoid the types of shoes that hurt -- if narrow-toed shoes make your feet sore, it might be time to consider round-toed models.

 

[Paisley]

Mostly, you just need to get better fitting shoes. If a shoe is a little too long, you can put heel liners in your shoes; you might also try orthotics if the shoe is big enough.

Some really comfortable brands are Easy Spirit, Taryn Rose and Beautifeel. If you find the last two brands expensive, you might look for them on Ebay. But it's better to try on any pair of shoes since fit varies from one style to another.

 

[vampygirl13]

A few things I would rec:

* put deodorant on your feet before stockings or socks or anything. That will help stop blisters. Crazy but works !

* get some thin gel liners

* stretch them a bit like other posters have said

 

[Miss 1929]

And you are wearing stockings, right? I know it seems obvious, but you would be surprised at how many women wear their shoes on bare feet, which is a recipe for pain.
Also, if you have only been wearing socks and soft shoes like sneakers for years, you just have to build up some callouses. I have been only wearing heels for very special occasions for the past 6 months, and notice a big difference now.
Another good trick for stretching shoes out just a wee bit, is to slosh rubbing alcohol into the shoe, get it nice and wet inside, and put them on and walk around until dry. It molds the shoe to your foot. Ballet dancers do this with their new toe shoes, I am told. Try not to get it on the outside as it can dull the finish.

 

[BakingInPearls]

Band Aid makes a new product called Blister Block, it's in a stick form, that you put on your feet before you put on your shoes, I have never used it before so I don't know how good of a product it is. But if you have a blister and need to cover it Band Aid does make a Blister Block bandaid that works wonders it really stays on your foot and it has a little extra padding on it. I got two days of wear with one, it even held up in the shower!

 

[DaisieWilde]

I bought these fantastic inserts that just supported the arch in a high heel. They are supposed to distribute the weight more evenly along the foot, taking more of the strain off of the ball of the foot. I tell you they work wonders! My only gripe is that I cannot transfer them to another pair, as they have self-adhesive in order to make them stick into the shoe.

I bought them at Walgreen's...I think they are made by Insolia. I paid around 10 bucks for them. Worth it considering how often I wear these heels. They also helped eliminate blisters on the back of my foot because they allowed my feet to be better positioned within the shoe, if that makes any sense [huh]

 

[Lau Mo]

Thanks for all of the suggestions!

I would try a different type of shoes, but this happens with nearly every shoe...round toes, pointer toes, peep toes.

Alot of times the shoes fit perfectly...except for that one spot where they are a bit too tight. I'm thinking that Miss 1929's suggestion of using rubbing alcohol to stretch might do the trick.

Lizzie Maine, you are very correct on the whole show size thing. I actually got my feet measured recently and it turns out I was wearing a half size too big for a while. So alot of my favorite shoes are the bigger size, which explains the problem when wearing those shoes. Also I just have oddly shaped feet lol

I wish shoe sizes were more standardized...while when I got my feet measured the shoe store told me 8 1/2, in some brands my feet are swimming in an 8 1/2, and in others I can't even get my foot in!

 

[KittyT]

A lot of what gals have said here is right on - making sure you have shoes that fit in the first place, just not wearing styles or types of shoes that give you lots of problems, wearing stockings, using gel inserts/heel grips/etc....

Something else to consider though... at the end of the day, our feet are usually a half size larger because of swelling. It is recommended to have your feet measured and try on shoes at the end of the day! However, I find that my shoes tend to fit the snuggest in the morning when I first wake up. You know your body the best - pay attention to how your shoes fit at different times of day and have your feet measured then.

 

[lady eel]

also, find a good shoe repair, you can tell them exactly the spot that is rubbing and they can stretch just that spot for you.

 

[DaisieWilde]

Something else to consider though... at the end of the day, our feet are usually a half size larger because of swelling. It is recommended to have your feet measured and try on shoes at the end of the day! However, I find that my shoes tend to fit the snuggest in the morning when I first wake up. You know your body the best - pay attention to how your shoes fit at different times of day and have your feet measured then.

I know that my feet swell by the end of the day...never thought to try on shoes at that point! It also depends a lot on how my day goes (if I'm on my feet all day, at my desk, etc.).

I have a discrepancy between my feet as well...my right foot is bigger than my left. Sometimes I will try on shoes that fit on foot better than the other. Sigh.

 

[KittyT]

I have a discrepancy between my feet as well...my right foot is bigger than my left. Sometimes I will try on shoes that fit on foot better than the other. Sigh.

Everyone has one foot that is bigger than the other. My right foot is bigger, so I'll always try on the right shoe first

 

[Penny Dreadful]

I literally feel your pain! My feet are very narrow and I've found anything but boots and sneakers would give me such bad blisters that I spend much of the year either covered in bloody band-aids or in some comfy but ugly sandals. I've even gone many summers almost exclusively barefoot, and wondered what bedroom slippers could pass for real shoes. The most effective thing I have ever done was buy shoes a size too big and fill them with Dr. Scholls pads, and stuff kleenex in the toe box. Being 5 inches high of course it's not perfect, but I'm still extremely impressed, and the pressure on the balls of my feet is the only discomfort. A friend of mine also recommends getting pointe shoe inserts from a ballet/theater shop. And Crocs has a line of very nice shoes called YOU known for being very comfortable.

 

[W-D Forties]

Speaking as an ex shoe designer and long time shoe fitter I have the following advice:

Buy the right size! Too big and you will scrunch up your toes to keep them on, calusing callouses. If odd sized feet, buy to fit the larger (see below).
The width and especially toe shapes will probably be the problem. If you have a wide foot, either avoid pointed toes, or accept the pain.
You will probably find that certain brands fit better than others, for example Clarks are an average D fitting, Italian shoes are often rather narrow.
Don't use heel grips, all they do is shove your toes too far forward, unbalance the shoe and stretch the backs, making it necessary to scrunch your toes up to keep them on.
If you have narrow feet, shoes that are slightly too big, or odd sized feet, a foam or leather half sole that fits the front of the shoe under the ball of your foot only will push your heel to the correct position to keep the shoe on and be more comfortable to wear.
Potato peelings rubbed into the leather can stretch shoes a bit.
You can also get a solution to dab on the bits you want to stretch (sorry, name escapes me)
Leather soles, especially on high heels are much more comfortable to wear as they flex when you walk, so you are not gripping your toes to keep them on, and allow your feet to breathe.
Don't use stick on soles on leather soles. They unbalance the shoe, 'draw' the feet and will make the sole less flexible.

If I think of anything else I'll let you ladies know!

 

[LinaSofia]

I'll share with you my own little secret You know those gel inserts that are supposed to ease pain in the ball of the foot when wearing heels, well they don't really make that much difference, I find. Instead I have bought "medical" gel pads especially made for foot injuries, they are much thicker and squishier and make even 4+ inches high heels totally comfortable! I have been able to walk in really high heels for a whole day without any pain. The gel pads come incorporated into a sort of "sock" that you pull onto the front of your foot, the material is like a stretchy bandage type material. However, I've cut the gel pads out so that I just use them as inserts. I bought mine from Boots (in the UK), but I'm sure they might be available from other pharmacies.
They are a little pricey at £12, but they have worked wonders in my high heels!!

 

[MariantheLibrarian]

If you try the rubbing alcohol trick (which works very well), be sure to check the shoe leather for colorfastness. I have had shoes leak dye all over whatever socks I happened to be wearing (even higher-end shoes can do this). I check mine by putting some rubbing alcohol on a light-colored cloth and swabbing the inside of the shoe a few times.

Other than those tricks, you might want to pick up some moleskin or blister bandages for those times when you have a too-tight shoe injury.

 

[Gracie Lee]

Learned this nifty trick on YouTube: for shoes that are a tad too tight, fill a zip lock bag 1/3 of water, tuck it into the area (this works best in the front of the shoe) where it's too tight, and toss into the freezer overnight. This works best on real leather shoes, and you may have to do it more than once or mess with it in different orientations, but with a little patience and trial and error, it may solve your toe squishing and rubbing problems. Good luck!

 

[Puzzicato]

You can also get a solution to dab on the bits you want to stretch (sorry, name escapes me)

Woly stretching foam. A-MAZING stuff!

 

[Sunny87]

Wow thats really good to know! I want to try wearing heels again.