Shopping Shoes Online . . .

Online Shoe Stores

It’s difficult to believe that in a world where most people actually like to try their shoes on before buying them, online shoe stores have become so popular.
The reasons why ‘s more than obvious, the wide variety (sizes, colors, styles), the price,
the opportunity to save yourself a trip to a “real” store and to make your purchase from
the comfort of your house.

However, sometimes it’s difficult to find a good online shoe store that offers a decent service and reasonable prices, that is why in this post we’ll list and analyze online shoes stores.

Why People buy Online?

Why are people buying shoes online? It’s easy, variety, price and convenience.

Some online stores offer the largest selection of shoes anywhere with 250 top brands of the most styles per brand, the broadest range of materials, colors, sizes, and widths, and with the most up to date fashions. Find shoes in sizes ranging from a women’s size 2 to a size 17 or a men’s size 1 to a size 20, with width’s running from extra narrow to extra wide.

In addition, you can find online discounts that provide savings of up to 65% off plus free shipping with live customer service and free returns. But if you still you don’t feel so sure about online shoes stores on some websites you can see what other customers think by checking out customer’s reviews and ratings on the thousands of shoes and accessories.

There are great savings every day online and with these great savings, you won’t be hit with any additional sales charges or fees with free shipping and free return shipping anywhere in the United States and you will receive your order within three to ten business days. Some sites offer first time customers an additional 10% off their purchase and the opportunity to save more on future purchases. Whether you’re a first time buyer or not you can review other customer’s ratings from the thousands of products across the website. Find out if a shoe runs a little wide or narrow from others who have bought the same item.

The choice is simple, with the advantages of purchasing without any sales tax, and enjoying great sales and discounts from your own home, secure purchasing, live customer service, and free shipping, you can see why everyone is shopping online.

Online Shoe Stores

1) Bakershoes.com

Sorry guys, this store its only for us women 🙂
I came across this store a week ago, and I really like it…
Bakers Shoes carries a lot of hot brand names, sort of stylish shoe variety, it also offers some really nice handbags.
The prices are reasonable, no free shipping ($6.95 standard shipping plus $2 for any additional item), the customer service is not a real help there’s only a toll free number for returns, so you have to assist yourself in this page, no live chat, however this it is an attractive site to visit.

2)  BuyAndWalk.com
This site it’s still a toddler giving the first steps compared with some of the giants online shoe stores.
I think they’ve been around for over a year now, and they have made some changes like changing the page
resolution from 800×600 to 1280×124, and adding some features to  accomplish an easier shopping experience.

I’m a regular customer from this site since I buy most of my Converse shoes from here (trust me I do buy a looooot of shoes), since they have a lot of Converse styles to pick from and I get special discount for being a regular.
This site offers free shipping, free shipping return and no sales tax, you can order online or by phone.
The customer service is really good, the people there are sincerely willing to help both by phone or by live chat.
The site is quite easy to use as well as the return and exchange process, great prices, not a huge selection of brands but if what your looking for are sneakers both for women, children and men I strongly recommend you this site.

3) DSW.com

This site has been around since Spring 2008 when it was it launched, I actually haven’t had the opportunity to buy shoes but I’ll try it as soon as I can.
The site its OK, not really sure about the black background thought, I know that it’s to add a sophisticated touch but it makes me feel unease while I navigate the site.
A large variety of brands and styles are available for women and men, prices are OK, no free shipping ( $7.95 standard shipping 7-10 business days), no free shipping return ( the shipping return fee will be deducted from your refund), returns and exchanges may take up to 14 days.
Overall it’s a good site but despite the variety of shoes there are better sites that offer free shipping & free shipping return, not one of my favorites but it has some very nice shoes.

4) Ebay.com

I’m sure everyone have at least visited ebay.com at least once, but I have to admit that having so much brands and styles sometimes makes it to difficult to find what you want, that is why I prefer small online shoe stores.
The site is really nice and cozy, its easy to navigate, it provides Live chat but its quite slow (I had to wait like 5 minutes for a customer service representative), free shipping depends on the seller since ebay its not involved with the shipping and returns.
Overall its a recommendable site.

5)  Endless.com

In case you’ve been living under ground Endless.com belongs to Amazon.com, so its different to visit a site
knowing that was created by a giant as Amazon.com.  Hands down to Endless.com, it offers free overnight shipping, free return, 365 day return and 100% price guaranteed.
Wide selection of brands and styles, from dress shoes to athletic shoes, products available for women, men and kids.
Prices are reasonable, depending on the kind of shoe your interested in. It’s an attractive site, and has a lot of features that are quite helpful, such as search by color, price, size and more.
If am not mistaken Endless.com has been around since 2006 but despite its short years of existence it has the backup of one of my favorite sites.
In the end this site its highly recommendable.

6) OnlineShoes.com
Here’s another online store that has a lot of brands and styles to choose from, available for women, kids and men.
Its a friendly and easy to navigate site, with the toll free number right above in case you need help (not like some other that practically hide the phone number!), it offers free shipping, free 90 days return.
Prices are…OK, but some shoes cost for example 20 dollars more than other sites.
Overall its an interesting site to visit.

7) ShoeBuy.com

Shoebuy.com offers free shipping, free shipping return no sales taxes and 100% price guaranteed.
There is a wide selection of brands (over 650) and styles, for women men and kids.
The site is quite easy to use, unlike other sites they manage to distribute the 650 brands to make the navigation easier; toll free number.
Overall, its a good site but sometimes I find the prices a little bit to expensive.

* Well that’s all for this week, maybe I’ll write about some other online shoe stores next week. 🙂
I hope you’ve enjoyed this post as much as I did, and please feel free to comment telling us about a good or bad shopping experience or you also can send us an email to shoesobessions@live.com or suscribe to our RSS FEED the get the latest news about our site.

Check our other resources

Imitations and Fake Shoes vs Original Ones

FAKE/IMITATION VS ORIGINAL SHOES

Lets face it, not every one can afford to spend $1000 on a pair of designer shoes or $200 in a pair of Nike or
Adidas shoes, so that’s when the imitations start to look appealing(unfortunately).

YES I´M GUILTY . . .
I confess having owned some shoes inspired in other brands or designers, but I never owned the kind
of imitation that has “Addidos” written on the label instead of Adidas, not that I have something against them, I just think that those kind of knockoffs are not so…. attracting, not to mention these kind of imitation is illegal, since logos are trademarks of each company.
If you’re into products inspired by other brands or you are just not willing to spend your whole paycheck on a pair of shoes, then I strongly recommend you this post.

Differences

Maybe you don’t quite notice the difference but in my opinion there are indeed two kinds of imitations.

1)._ There are the ones that look exactly as the original brand and design, except for the label and sometimes the logo, there are also some shoes that are sold as the original and that it is illegal.
To sell a cheaper and lower quality product, claiming to be original is against the law, to buy or own
an imitation or a knockoff it’s not illegal.

Generally these ones are the ones that most of the times are too excessive.
Why? Because if you are not able to afford or simply think that there’s no need to wear expensive
shoes, it’s always better to wear shoes that are unique and not just a replica of other brands.

2)._ In other cases there are other shoe styles & brands that are not just a mere copy, they are innocently inspired in some of the most well-known brands.
These are the ones that I recommend, most importantly because they have some similarities with
popular brands but still maintain their uniqueness, and do not mimic the original company logo or brand
name.
I think it’s always better to wear designer inspired shoes instead of sneakers imitation, since these last ones are too obvious.

After all the price that you see on those fancy and well-known brands, is not only the price of the product, these brands sell the idea of exclusivity and social status.
But in the end you choose what to buy, and lets be honest sometimes the shoes that designers sell are hideous and overpriced!

Like these boots for example:

Maison Martin Margiela Boots (Ugly & Expensive)
$2,495 !!

“Knockoffs & Imitations”

IMITATION (Above) Gladiator Shoes $65

ORIGINAL Dior Extreme Platforms $770
(Yes, these are the ones that Sarah Jessica Parker used in the “Sex & The City” movie)

IMITATION (Above) Nine West Boots $145

ORIGINAL Chloé Pumps $550
(net-a-porter)

IMITATION (Above) Steve Madden black satin shoes $89.95

ORIGINAL Giuseppe Zanotti black shoes $550

IMITATION (Above) Steve Madden Ginn Sandal $199.95

ORIGINAL Givenchy Gladiator Shoes about $1000

IMITATION (Above) Puma wannabes or “simply inspired in” ?

ORIGINAL Puma Shoes

IMITATION (Above) “Addadis” Shoes…. ?#@_¿?¿?

ORIGINAL Adidas Shoes

How to spot fake shoes?

Some people might find the look-alike shoes very appealing and obviously they’re willing to buy
them, but what happens when we want to buy a real product and someone tries to sell us a fake one as a real one?
If you refused to be fooled here are some quick tips on how to avoid being scam.

* Well, first of all rely on your common sense and intelligence, if you happen not to posses any of these
simply follow this advice: If you are buying a pair of Dior shoes and the price its below $300 it’s not that
there’s a sale or you’re just lucky, they are FAKE. This applies to every designer shoe, if it’s too cheap, it is for a reason.

*However, to spot fake sneakers it’s a little bit more tricky….

(Pic from spotfakeadidas.com)
Genuine Adidas shoes have different serial numbers on each shoe

(Pic from spotfakeadidas.com)
Hang tags should always be attached thought the first lace hole on the
instep side of both shoes.

Fake Run DMC’s will often come with one shoe laced, neither should be laced.
Extra laces should be packed tightly in tough plastic packaging.

(Spotfakeadidas.com)

(Spotfakeadidas.com)

Genuine shoes don’t have signs of “heel tags”

(Spotfakeadidas.com)

Websites & Fake products

VARIANTS

These are fakes, several sites use this term but it is deliberately misleading.
Look carefully at the Policy section on the site, it might be hidden somewhere but will usually say “these shoes are factory variants”.

SAMPLES

Everyone knows about samples but briefly for the uninitiated, ‘samples’ come in Size 9 with no box, and are used to road test different looks for a shoe. You can come across some unusual samples, some of which might be valuable.

LOOKALIKES

These can be found in department stores, are made by an anonymous brand and are very cheap replicas. The Shelltoes and the Nike Presto have been badly ‘lookalike’ locally.

CUSTOMS

If you see a shoe in a non-original colourway, it is either a sample, a fake or a ‘custom.’ Customs are shoes that have been hand detailed in some way. There are quite a few well known custom designers out there who are quite famous in their own right. They take a legitimate shoe and jazz it up and then charge premium prices, so it is unlikely you’ll be buying these without being aware of it.
Some sites call their shoes ‘customs’ but they are fakes. Pretty much anything that has been structurally altered is fake, such as all the Gucci, Louis Vuitton and Burberry AF1’s.

_________________________________________________________________

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Wedding shoes – Tips and Advices

Wedding Shoes

So many shoes… but just one wedding

The big day has finally arrived, but what style of shoes will you be wearing for your walk down the aisle?

Some brides choose strappy sandals or dyeable pumps, while others opt for less traditional footwear like wedding flip flops or even sneakers. Finding the perfect pair of wedding shoes doesn’t have to be stressful, but there are a few things to keep in mind before you buy:

1)._ Choose comfortable bridal shoes:

Sure, those four-inch white heels may be a perfect match for your dress style, and look fantastic on your feet in the store, but standing in them for hours on your wedding day is another story. You want to be focused on having fun with your new spouse, friends and family, not on keeping your balance as you teeter down the aisle or sit with aching feet. There are plenty of cute bridal shoes that take comfort into consideration as well as style: choose a white satin ballet flat, or a low sling back sandal.
Or another thing you can do is wearing those stunning four-inch high heels only for the ceremony, and then changing into a ballet flat.

2)._ Take wedding shoe fabrics into consideration:

There are numerous types of shoe fabrics out there, such as satin, silk, velvet and lace. Not only are wedding shoes a reflection of your personal taste, but they must also be compatible with your wedding venue. Silk wedding shoes can easily stain in grass or on wet ground, and leather pumps are unique but will be far too hot for a summer wedding.

3)._ Remember your dress:

Don’t fall in love with a particular pair of wedding shoes before you buy your bridal gown. Your dress fabric and any embellishments such as beads or pearls need to be considered while shopping for shoes. There are hundreds of styles of wedding shoes available to fit any type of season, bridal gown, and most importantly, the bride’s unique personality. By keeping all of these factors in mind while shopping, you’ll find the right pair of wedding shoes for your special day.

Wedding Shoes

Designer: Christian Louboutin
Price: $895
mycatwalk.com

Designer: Claudio Merazzi
Price: $880
Footcandyshoes.com

Designer: Giuseppe Zanotti
Price: $850
net-a-porter.com

Designer: Giuseppe Zanotti
Price: $650
eluxury.com
( I love these!!)

*Remember: You choose the kind of style you want, after all what is a wedding shoe?

More wedding shoes/shoes at:

http://www.bridalshoes.com
http://www.onewed.com
http://www.weddingshoesboutique.com
http://www.shoebuy.com

IF YOU LIKE OUR SITE AND COMMENTS PLEASE SUSCRIBE TO OUR FEED / RSS. Keep yourself updated with the latest fashion trends and news. Till next post 🙂

Shoe Parts and Anatomy: X-Rayed a Shoe :P

First of all, I would like to say thanks to all the people that has written comments during our first posts. Bad and good comments are always appreciated. Thanks for your time, suggestions and good vibes 🙂

Like a Doctor diagnosing a patient and studying all the anatomy of the human body,
we are going to analize and explain every part of a running shoes.
With all the new technology and terms coming out for athletic shoes, confusion is something that may occur to some of us.
Get educated and become an expert customer when dealing with running shoes.

INSOLE/SOCKLINER: (11)

Many people confuse the function of the insole as being for cushioning. Some people believes that
the insole must be replaced when it flattens. While it is made of a foam like the midsole it is not
resilent. The whole purpose of the insole is to give you better traction inside the shoe and a better
fit.

MIDSOLE:

The midsole is what provides cushioning to the shoe and can be built in several materials,
such as: EVA or PU sheet. As the picture above shows, the insole is located directly under
the foot and can vary in thickness from the heel to the toe. In some cases the insole is
removable for washing. There are 4 types of Insole: Boardlasting, slip lasting, last and curved.

Boardlasting:

Is a construction technique in which the upper material is drawn around
the bottom of the foot form and attached to a cellulose or non-woven board found in
many less-expensive shoes. This construction technique is for stability purposes due to
a more firm platform.

Slip Lasting:

This technique is used to build a more flexible and lighter weight shoe,
as opposite from the board lasting technique it doesn´t use a board.

Last:

This is designed after the shape of the foot, the form is usually made of plastic ot other syntetic material such as polyester. The upper is pulled over this area to give the shoes its
overall shape. There are three shapes: Curved, semi-curved and straight for those that has over
pronation.

Curved:

More angled from heel to toe, this gives more pigeon-toe look. Ideal for supinated foot.

OUTSOLE:

This is what you see when you buy a pair of shoes, the upper part of the footwear can be built
or made of leather or some other quality syntetic material and can be combined with mesh for
reducting the weight of the shoe.

Toe Guard: (1)

Where manufacturers add extra rubber material to the front of a shoe for toe drag protection. It often wraps from the outside to the upper.

Vamp: (2)

The vamp is a a part of the toe box area. This area is flexible, breathable and often perforated, but not always to prevent clay from getting into the shoe. As we have seen in our Foot Problems post, keeping your feet dry and keeping your feet to breath is one of the best ways to keep your feet healthy.

Toe Cap: (3)

The toe piece above the toe guard for additional toe drag and/or medial (inside part of the shoe) foot drag protection. With some models, leather is used to retain a classic appearance.

Eyestay: (4)

Support area around the eyelets, usually made by a resistent material due to the preassure applied by the laces.

Eyelets: (5)

usually built in circle forms and made of metal or Ghillie loops(a woven polyester fabric). The top part of the eyelet is the most important since it is the onethat players need to hold and lock thier laces without coming undone.

Tongue: (6)

Tongues have become thicker to help pad top of the foot from pressure of the laces. A traditional loose tongue has a lace loop attached to keep the tongue from moving.

Collar Linnings: (7)

In the collar linning is where the ankle contact the shoe, foam is usually the
most common material when doing collar linnings such as tha ankle collar and the tongue.

Heel Rake: (8 )

Is the curved part at the cak of the shoe. The more curved the less slippage and the better fit but could be a little bit uncomfortable if you dont buy the appropiate shoe size for you.

Achilles Notch: (9)

Found at the back of the shoe, this part protects tha achilles tendon from irritation.

Heel Counter: (10)

Usually a plastic or composite material that stiffens and reinforces the heel area. A stiffened hell improves fit and stability.

Other Terms:

Laces:

Innnovations in the laces have been the introduction of round laces and a change in the type and number of eyelets. The whole purpose of the laces is to keep the shoe firmly on the midfoot.

Arch Support:

It was a time when the arch support was a separate item glued under the insole. After several years the arch support has being incorporated to the insole, and finally the arch support were addapted to fit the midsole.

DICTIONARY:

EVA: Ethylene Vinyl Acetate – Plastic Material
PU: Short for Polyurethane. It is highly variable in composition and usually includes a mix of different materials.
Over Pronation: Is when the feet roll inward too much.
Supinated/Under pronation: I think you´ll guess what this is.

Till Next post, thanks for visiting our blog. 🙂

Foot Problems, Advices & Tips

When we talk about shoes and how to buy them advices on the cheapest pairs, fashion trends and all beautiful things regarding shoes, we didn´t stop just for one moment to think about our feet. How do they will feel inside the shoes and problems that this shoes will cause eventually. Well . . . this post was written for all those people that has or have been through any of these diseases and don´t want to be a part of them any more.

FOOT COMMON PROBLEMS

Athlete´s Foot:(Tinea pedis)

Intro:

Athlete’s foot is a parasitic fungal infection of the epidermis of the human foot. It affects mostly men and young people attacking the area between the toes, soles of feet fingernails and toenails, but in severely lasting cases may appear as an extensive pattern on the bottom and sides of the foot. Tinea pedis (athlete´s foot) is estimated to be the second most common skin disease in the United States, after acne. Up to 15% of the U.S. population may have tinea pedis.

Causes:

The fungus is very contagious and is transmitted by coming into contact with wet floors, or by touching infected shoes or socks. If the dead skin is infected with the athlete’s foot fungus and someone else walks along the area where this dead skin is, it could stick to their feet and consequently infect the person with the fungus.

Symptoms:

A burning sensation between toes, itching, redness, scaling, blistering, are the most common symptoms when looking for athlete´s foot disease.

Prevention & Treatment:

– Wash your feet every day, paying special attention to the area between the toes.
– Wear sandals or flip flops in public places.
– Dry your feet very carefully, again particularly the area between the toes.
– Keep the toenails cut short and straight across.
– Dust an anti-fungal powder on your feet and into your shoes.
– Never use plastic shoes, your feet needs to breathe.
– Wear your shoes in rotation.
– Wear cotton socks, or special running socks which absorb sweat and change these socks frequently and always put on clean ones after washing your feet.
– Avoid tight, closed in footwear especially in the summer open shoes let the feet breath.

Dry Skin:

Intro:

Commonly appears on such areas of the feet as the soles and heels.

Causes:

Dry skin can result from a variety of reasons: commonly age, using air conditioning systems that keep the air dry in our offices and houses, long and hot showers bath, WHAT?? Yes, prolonged exposure to hot water can wash away the natural oils that protect your skin.
Soap is another common problem, believe it or not, soap can quickly strip away your skin’s protective oils, and we tend to use way too much of it.
Itchy clothing, yep, when having dry skin itchy clothing could be even more itchy. Dry skin is especially sensitive to contact irritants, so continually exposing your skin to uncomfortable clothing could make your skin drier and itchier.
Medications and a number of medicines have the side effect of drying out the skin. They include drugs for High blood pressure, diuretics, Antihistamines, etc.
Sometimes dry skin can be caused by a medical condition such as: eczema and psoriasis, diabetes, hypothyroidism and malnutrition.

Symptoms:

Red or flaky patches, peeled and cracked skin, itchy skin.

Prevention & Treatment:

The best way to treat and also prevent dry, cracked skin on your feet is to use therapeutic ointments and creams (avoid alcohol products). Use a pumice stone or sand stone to file the hard dry skin, allowing the moisturizers to better penetrate the skin. Other treatments would imply wearing comfortable shoes, using night-time creams, checking your shoes for tight spots and areas that rub and using correcting insoles to eliminate points of friction.

Corn and Calluses:

Intro:

Other names for corns and callus are hyperkeratosis, clavus, heloma and tyloma. Corns and callus are one of the most common problems seen by Podiatrists. To have a corn or means that the skin has thickened in response to pressure. A callus generally refers to a more diffuse thickening of the skin. They are actually a normal and natural way for the body to protect itself from pressure.

Causes:

Corns and callus are caused by one thing “too much pressure” and usually in combination with some kind of friction. Too much pressure can be from causes such as:
– footwear that is too tight
– toe deformities, such as hammer toes.
– bony prominence
– bio-mechanical or gait abnormalities that cause pressure under different areas of the bottom surface of the foot (this is a common cause of callus).

Symptoms:

Thickening of he skin in a particular area of pressure or friction

Prevention & Treatment:

Remedies such as corn paint, cure or plasters will generally only treat the symptom of the corn and not the problem that causes it. Sometimes wearing shoes that fit better or using special pads solves the problem.
Self treatment or management of corns and callus includes:
– following the advice of a Podiatrist.
– proper fitting of footwear.
– proper foot hygiene and the use of emollients to keep the skin in good condition.

Warts:

Intro:

Warts are caused by a viral infection. The virus penetrates through the skin and may often enter through traumatized or damaged skin. Warts are often spread in moist areas and can appear on any skin surface. On the sole of the foot they are called “plantar warts”, which are one of the most common surfaces to appear.

Causes:

The Wart Virus is spread by direct contact. Quite often a moist area that has “skin residue” is an area at risk for spreading warts. This includes gym locker rooms, showers and swimming pools. Plantar warts can occur when HPV (Wart virus) invades the body through tiny cuts or breaks in the skin on the bottom of the feet.

Symptoms:

Plantar warts usually are rough and spongy, and most are gray, brown, or yellow with dark pinpoints, scraping a wart may cause it to bleed. Many corns or calluses on the foot are mistaken for warts and the converse is also true. A plantar wart is similar in structure to an iceberg, the part on the surface of the skin is a small part of the entire problem. If left untreated, plantar warts can grow up to 1 inch in circumference and may spread into clusters (called mosaic warts).

Prevention & Treatment:

Tips for Prevention:
– Avoid walking barefoot in locker rooms, pools, gyms, and most other public areas.
– Use protective slippers or sandals in public areas.
– Avoid direct contact with warts from yourself with other body parts or from other people.
– Keep your feet clean and dry.

Self treatment in not recommended.
In some cases, podiatrists apply mild acid to treat plantar warts. This treatment often requires multiple applications over the course of several weeks, disintegrates viral cells and allows healthy skin cells to replace them. Laser treatment: Lasers produce little scarring and are effective in most cases.
Wart Tips:
– Seek professional evaluation and assistance with the treatment of your warts if they have persisted, cause pain, or spread.
– Diabetics and other patients with circulatory, immunological or neurological problems should not self-treat their warts.
– Warts may spread and are catching. Make sure you have your warts evaluated to protect yourself and those close to you.

Bunions:

Intro:

A bunion is a bony swelling at the base joint of the big toe. It causes the big toe to be angled inwards, towards the second toe. The skin and tissue on the bump of the bunion can become inflamed, swollen, and painful. Bunions can be related to inflammation or to degenerative disease and they run in families. Women are more likely than men to get bunions because of the misshapen footwear and elevated heels they wear.

Causes:

Bunions are one of the most common foot problems. They often run in families, which suggests that the inherited shape of the foot may predispose people to them. Producing a bunion also could be attributed to Flat feet when your body weight is repeatedly transferred to the hallux while walking, this transfer of weight allows certain muscles to become stronger than others. This overpowering of muscles causes the toe to bend and deform.

Symptoms:

There are two types of bunions: 1)._ The acute bunion. 2)._ The hallux vulgus
An acute bunion can progress into the second type of bunion, the hallux valgus, a chronic but often painless deformity involving permanent rigidity of the bones. A frequent symptom is pain in the involved area when walking or wearing shoes that is relieved by resting. Bunions that cause marked pain are often associated with swelling of the soft tissues, redness, and local tenderness.

Prevention & Treatment:

If abnormal pronation is identified and corrected early, the formation of a bunion can be prevented, if not surgery will be necessary.

Ingrown Toenails:

Intro:

Ingrown toenails occur when a piece of the nail breaks the skin. The corner of the nail curves down into the skin. An ingrown toenail can be painful and lead to infection.

Causes:

Ingrown Toenail Causes:
– Tight-fitting shoes or high heels cause the toes to be compressed together and pressures the nail to grow abnormally.
– Improper trimming of toenails can cause the corners of the nail to dig into the skin. Nails should be trimmed straight across, not rounded.
– Disorders such as fungal infections of the nail can cause a thickened or widened toenail to develop.
– Injury near the nail may cause an ingrown toenail.
– If a member of your family has an ingrown toenail, then you are more likely to develop one too.

Symptoms:

– Early in the course of an ingrown toenail, the end of the toe becomes reddened and painful with mild swelling. There is no pus or drainage.
– Once an infection has developed, the swelling will become worse, and there may be white or yellow colored drainage from the area. A lighter colored area of the skin may be surrounded by red skin. You may develop a fever, although this is unusual.

Prevention & Treatment:

The best method of prevention is careful clipping of the toenails straight across, taking care to keep the end longer than the skin edge. This prevents the corners from digging into the skin. They should not be rounded or cut too short. Wearing well-fitting shoes. Keeping your feet clean and dry.

Hammer Toe:

Intro:

A hammer toe is a term that is commonly used to describe any type of toe deformity. In a hammertoe the deformity usually exists in one toe, the base of the toe points upward and the end of the toe points down like an L.

Causes:

Increasing factors of developing hammer toes:
– Some people are just structurally prone to develop hammer toes (hereditary).
– Tight footwear is an important factor in the cause of hammer toes as well as providing the pressure that causes the symptoms.
– Weaker small muscles in the foot may also play a role.

Symptoms:

The symptoms of a hammer toe are usually first noticed when a corn develops on the top of the toe and becomes painful, usually when wearing tight shoes. Most of the symptoms are due to pressure from footwear on the toe. There may be a callus under the metatarsal head at the base of the toe. Initially a hammer toe is usually flexible, but when longstanding it becomes more rigid.

Prevention & Treatment:

Prevention of a hammer toe can be difficult as the problem doesn´t has any symptoms until the problem is well established. Wearing shoes that have extra room in the toes may help the problem or slow down its development.
Treating Hammer toe:
– It´s important that any footwear advice is followed. The correct amount of space in the toe box will allow room for the toes to function without excessive pressure. We recommend you to ask for a proper fitting chart in your shoe store or to check online.
– If a corn is present, this will need to be treated.
– If the toe is still flexible, it may be possible to use splints or tape to try and correct the toe. Without correct fitting footwear, this is often unsuccessful.
– Padding is often used to get pressure off the toe to help the symptoms.
– If conservative treatment is unsuccessful at helping the symptoms, surgery is often a good option.

Spurs:

Intro:

A bony spur projecting from the back or underside of the heel bone that often makes walking painful. A calcaneal spur is also called a Heel Spur. The heel bone is the largest bone in the foot and absorbs the most amount of shock and pressure.

Causes:

Heel spurs develop as an abnormal growth in the heel bone due to calcium deposits that form when the plantar fascia pulls away from the heel. Women have a significantly higher incidence of heel spurs due to the types of footwear often worn on a regular basis (High Heels). People with unusually high arches can also develop heel spurs. The calcaneal spur is seen most often in persons over the age of 40. The condition can also be associated with osteoarthritis, poor blood circulation and arthritis.

Symptoms:

Although it may take years to become a problem, once it appears, it may cause considerable suffering. The sensation has been described as “a toothache in the foot.” When you place your weight on the heel, the pain can be sufficient to immobilize you.

Prevention & Treatment:

To proper treatment heel spurs, first we have to determine what is causing the excessive stretching of the plantar fascia. If the cause is flat feet, treatment could be a device to reduce the over-pronation, and allow the condition to heal. Other treatments for reducing spurs could be, stretching exercises, losing weight, wearing shoes that have a cushioned heel that absorbs shock, and elevating the heel with the use of a heel cradle, heel cup.

In this article we have talk about the most common foot problems, sorry for not showing pictures but I feel it could be a little bit disgusting and I actually want people to read my posts and not to run away from them.

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