OUTSIDE CAUSES FOR CALLUSES & HOW TO AVOID THEM
By Bethesda, MD & Springfield, VA Foot Doctor, Dr. Paul Ross of The Podiatry Center
Some causes for calluses come from within the body, while other causes are external. Some of the most common include going barefoot, especially on rough terrain or outdoors; doing manual labor that stresses your feet or has the potential for injury; and ill-fitting footwear. You’d be amazed at all the problems people could avoid concerning the feet by simply wearing properly fitting shoes. In this article, we’ll go into a little more detail about those external causes for calluses.
Bare Feet & Calluses
Walking around barefoot isn’t bad for your feet in and of itself. Unfortunately, it can be a cause for developing calluses if you go barefoot outdoors a lot or go barefoot on rough ground like pavement.
If you have a foot deformity like flat feet, high arches, hammertoes, and so on, you can expect even worse calluses to form. If you do happen to have any of these foot deformities, you may need to forego the barefoot experience and wear shoes with custom orthotics instead.
Manual Labor & Calluses
Physical strain, which is usually a part of manual labor, can cause issues for your feet. Another way manual labor can cause calluses is through trauma to the foot or if you have to repeat a certain movement or motion consistently that ends up rubbing the skin on your feet the wrong way. This is especially true if your shoes don’t fit properly, which is the next major cause for calluses.
Ill-Fitting Footwear & Calluses
It’s amazing how many foot pain problems could be prevented just by wearing the right shoes. Calluses fall into that category alongside a slew of other foot problems, so wearing the right shoes is imperative. Calluses, corns, ingrown toenails, and all sorts of problems come in part or completely from ill-fitting shoes, so keep that in mind the next time you pick out a pair you plan to wear a lot.
If your shoes are too tight or even too loose, your feet rub against the insides of the shoes uncomfortably, which can cause calluses to form. Stitches or seams on the inside of the shoe can do the same thing. If you wear high heels, your feet are pushed down and forward by gravity and this might cause your toes to rub against the inside of the heel uncomfortably.
Simple Solutions To Avoid Calluses
Your absolute best bet for avoiding calluses is to wear properly fitting shoes and socks. These two culprits may seem small, but they are the top cause for a lot of different problems people end up having on their feet.
Another good way to avoid calluses is to make sure you wear shoes when you’re outside. Though most adults don’t tend to run around barefoot in the front yard, it might be a good idea to let your kids know not to do so either. Being barefoot indoors is fine, but being barefoot outside can be bad for your feet.
There are a number of home remedies you can try if you already have calluses and want to try to get rid of them; check out our home remedies blog article for detailed instructions on some of those.
Need More Help?
Here at The Podiatry Center, we put your feet first! Call us today at (301) 656-6055 for more information or to set up an appointment. If you have questions or just want to figure out if we’re the right Bethesda, MD Podiatrist or Springfield, VA Podiatrist for you, we can help you with that, too! Let’s work together to keep your feet happy and healthy.
The Podiatry Centers treat all medical and surgical foot pain and ankle pain conditions. Licensed Bethesda, MD Podiatrist, Dr. Paul Ross can help bring you foot pain and ankle pain relief.
Our Bethesda, Maryland (MD) and Springfield, Virginia (VA) Podiatry offices offer the most effective and state-of-the-art, quality podiatry care services with a smile to patients in our local community, including: Woodbridge VA, Fairfax VA, Annandale VA, Arlington VA, Alexandria VA, Burke VA, Gaithersburg MD, Potomac MD, Silver Spring MD, Rockville MD and Chevy Chase MD.
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