Todays women have a lot of options in foot wear. Pumps, flip-flops, stilettos, and flats—Great looking shoes! Women have selected the trendiest and best looking shoes ignoring the demands and the health of the feet. Unfortunately, great looking shoes often lead to unhealthy and ugly looking feet.

We all know that feet are the most important part of our body for mobility and if it pains we are totally immobilized and our entire body suffers. But when we get some indication of foot problem we neglect it quite often, we allow these small foot problems to become bigger problems. Hereditary foot deformities, workplace shoe restrictions, foot hygiene, unclean socks and shoes, bad shoe selection and busy lives add up to the foot problems faced by women. Women should  pay more attention to their foot care to avoid foot problems.

Bunions

Women are more likely than men to develop bunions over the course of their lifetime A bunion is a painful bony protrusions that appears along the outside of your big toe. They occur when the big toe is pushed diagonally into the other toes which makes the lower bones in the toe to jut out, causing bunions.

If the foot puts too much stress on the (metatarsophalangeal) MTP joint, bunions can form. People with flat feet and low or fallen arches are vulnerable to developing this condition.

Since this happens over a period of years , being aware of the problem and preventing is the best approach.

Causes are:

1. Overuse of high heels
2. Foot injuries
3. Arthritis
4. Inflammatory joint diseases
5. Stress on the feet

Because biomechanical problems cause bunions, it is important to fix any irregularity in your stride. Insoles with superior arch support are key. Reduce the time spent in high heels. Find shoes with roomy toe boxes and slip a pair  insoles into your shoes.

Hammertoes

Hammertoe is seen mostly in women, it happens when a  remains curved and scrunched up instead of  lying flat . This again is because of the wrong choice of shoes. Mostly a result of wearing shoes that are too small. Too tight fitting shoes forces the toe or toes to curl up in order to fit into the shoe, and the longer you wear such shoes the harder it is to switch back. Sometimes hammertoes form as a result of a muscular problem.

Corns/Calluses/Blisters

Women are literally on their toes all day which can put the feet under a lot of pressure. Among other complications this excessive stress on the feet may encourage corns, calluses, and blisters.

Corns and calluses form when the skin thickens as a result of extended pressure or friction.

Calluses often result from excessive walking, they form on the bottom of the feet, and keep spreading . at the onset they are not irritable and painful and hence neglected.  When the thickened skin cracks infection enters easily.

Comfortable and well ventilated shoes is important . For  corns and calluses orthotics can help reduce both the immediate pain and the likelihood of corns or calluses forming..

Blisters are less serious and far easier to take care of. Blisters generally form at the point of frction with the shoe . Ill fitting shoes which are stiff in texture are the main causes. Blisters should not happen regularly , if it does you definitely need to change the shoes.