Are My Feet Getting Bigger?!

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Have you noticed that shoes you’ve had for a while are starting to feel tight and uncomfortable? At Texas Foot Specialists many of our patients are surprised to learn that adult foot size can increase. There are a few potential reasons for this:

  • Weight gain—if you’ve gained the “Covid 15” or more that puts additional pressure on your feet and may cause them to flatten and spread thereby increasing your shoe size.

  • Pregnancy—when pregnant, in addition to weight gain and increased fluid retention, your body releases certain hormones aimed at relaxing ligaments in preparation for birth. These hormones affect the ligaments in your feet as well which can increase spread and foot size.

  • Loss of fat pads—the heel and ball of the foot naturally have a “fat pad” that provides cushioning to those parts of your feet. As you age, it’s natural for this fat pad to atrophy and as this happens your foot flattens and spreads.

  • Swelling—in warm weather and as a side effect of certain medical conditions or medications your feet may swell.

Take Steps to Prevent Foot Damage

If you believe your feet have grown larger, your first move should be to schedule an appointment with our podiatrists, Dr. Bruce Miller and Dr. Gregory Mangum, by contacting our Sugar Land 281-242-4448, Pasadena 281-991-0600 and Houston 713-664-6677 offices. If the foot doctor has ruled out a medical or biomechanical problem, with the exception of pregnancy, your larger foot will not shrink back to its original size. (Even for pregnant women after birth some will return to their smaller foot size but for others the change to a bigger size becomes permanent.) The worst thing you can do for your feet is to continue to wear shoes that are too small. Below are some tips for getting new shoes that fit:

  • Shop at the end of the day. That’s when your feet will be at their very largest due to the swelling that naturally occurs when you’re on your feet for long periods of time.

  • Get both feet professionally measured. Don’t be surprised if one foot measures larger than the other. This is not unusual. Buy shoes to comfortably fit the bigger foot.

  • Bring the right socks. Try on shoes with the type of sock you’ll typically wear with the shoes you are purchasing to ensure a more accurate fit.

  • Take your time. Put on both shoes and walk around for several minutes to be sure they feel comfortable with no rubbing or pinching.

If you have questions about the health of your feet, contact us today.