How To Prevent Shoes From Cutting Ankle

How To Prevent Shoes From Cutting Ankle

If you are a runner, a basketball player, or simply someone who spends most of their day in shoes, you may have suffered from shoe bites. Yes, they are the worst! Shoes that cut the back of your ankle can immobilize you and be a great hindrance to your everyday tasks. But not to worry, there are several proven ways you can prevent shoes from cutting your ankle!

New shoes can often cut your ankles, and there are many reasons why that happens. Maybe they don’t fit right, or there is a break-in period involved. However, there are guidelines to help you protect your feet against shoe bites from new shoes and also to help you choose the right shoes, to begin with.

We have listed several ways you can stop hurting your ankle! But first, what are some problems that can occur with your shoes rubbing your ankle?

 

Problems Caused By Shoes Rubbing Your Ankles

Shoes Rubbing Your Ankles

Here are some issues that can shoot up in your feet if your shoes keep rubbing your ankles:

Friction blisters:

Due to continuous pressure, rubbing, and irritation, a soft pocket of raised skin is formed, filled with clear fluid. These pockets are known as friction blisters, and the most commonly happen when individuals wear ill-fitted shoes or heels for prolonged hours.

 

Achilles Tendonitis:

A band of tissue that connects the back of the lower leg with your calf muscles is known as Achilles tendon. An injury in this tissue is called Achilles tendonitis, which generally happens due to inflammatory conditions.

 

Bursitis:

Bursitis occurs in sacs near the joints filled with fluids, which generally seem swollen or inflamed. These sacs work as cushions between your tendons and bones. The common enemy that causes bursitis is again ill-fitted shoes or high heels.

 

How to Prevent Shoes From Cutting Ankle

Prevent Shoes From Cutting Ankle

Although shoe bites are extremely painful and annoying, there are ways you can prevent them from happening. We are listing down some of the most effective tips below:

Stick Moleskin Inside

Moleskin is a fabric made with cotton and comes with adhesive on one side. It is readily available at any drugstore. Once you have your hands on it, you can trim or cut it to the desired size and paste it on the insides of your shoe. Moleskin will allow your shoe to feel more comfortable and help you avoid friction.

 

Insoles Can Help

Shoes can also often cut ankles due to a lot of movement. In this case, you can try inserting insoles. With insoles, you can make your shoe feel tighter, eventually reducing the friction between your shoes and skin. It will also provide a lift to your feet.

 

Try Leather Oil

If you have leather shoes and cut your ankle, you can try making them soft by using leather oil. These oils can include mink, coconut, or olive oil. You can apply them over the edges to keep them from hurting your ankles. The oil will work like magic in only a couple of hours. Please note that if you’re worried the oil will cause damage to your shoes, you can try a leather conditioner in its place.

 

Specialized Socks

Socks that are made for particular activities can help a great deal. For instance, if you are into sports, you can try athletic socks to support the arch area. While you’re wearing work boots, socks that can help your feet insulated will work!

 

Heel Grip Can Work Too

A heel grip is a type of oval-shaped cushion that you can stick inside your shoe. It ensures that your foot doesn’t keep sliding forward and remains in place. It is a valuable tool for individuals whose shoes are bigger than their feet size, leading to friction and shoe bites.

 

Push The Breaking In Process

One of the easiest ways to ensure your shoes don’t cut your ankle is to help them break into your feet. There are various ways you can do this. For instance, walk around in the house in the new shoes, freeze them up, etc. However, the method will largely depend on how well your shoes fit you.

 

Stretch Them With Stretchers or Spray

Stretching spray or shoe stretchers can help you widen a tight shoe. While using a stretcher, ensure that you keep the boots overnight. This will allow them to stretch enough to fit you adequately. If your boots are tight both at the width and length, you can opt for a two-way stretcher. Please note that these methods only work for leather or suede and not synthetics.

 

Warm Up The Shoes

One of the most common reasons for shoe bites is tight-fitted shoes. You will have to do something that helps expand them. There is a way, warm them up. You can do this by wearing thick shoes with your footwear and walk around in them till they feel comfortable. This method works well for fabric and suede shoes. Please note that if you make leather shoes too hot, you can potentially damage them.

 

How To Heal Shoe Bites

Blisters that are caused by shoe bites will generally heal on their own. However, what you need to make sure of is that it stays away from the source of friction which is your ill-fitted shoes! Let the blister heal before you start wearing the boots again, or make an effort to break them in.

The skin over the blister ensures that it stays protected against infection, yet, you can try applying a bandage to keep it clean.

You can use some home remedies, like dabbing some honey, aloe vera gel, or petroleum jelly on the affected area. All of them have anti-inflammatory properties that can help heal the blisters faster.

 

Conclusion

If you were looking for ways to prevent your shoes from cutting your ankle, you have potentially learned everything you need to about that. Please note that if you let the pain of blisters or sore spots persist, they can cause tremendous pain and halt your daily activities. We advise you to use the tips and methods explained in this article to prevent any future instances of shoe bites!

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