Why do my feet feel strange inside shoes?
Fall has finally arrived in the Lowcountry. Well, sort of. Around Hilton Head and Bluffton, fall usually means the temperature drops below 80, somebody orders a pumpkin-spice latte and the rest of us begin wondering whether it is finally safe to put the flip-flops away.
For many of us, flip-flops are basically the official shoe of Hilton Head. Beach? Flip-flops. Publix? Flip-flops. Dinner? The nice flip-flops.
Then cooler weather arrives, we pull out a pair of closed-toe shoes and something strange happens.
“Why do my feet feel so weird inside these shoes?”
Maybe your toes feel crowded even though the shoes still fit. Maybe it feels like your socks are bunched up underneath your feet. You take the shoe off, fix the sock and put everything back on. But the sensation doesn’t go away. It’s still there.
Some people even tell me: “It feels like I’m wearing two pairs of socks.”
Except they’re not.
That strange sensation can sometimes be associated with peripheral neuropathy. Healthy sensory nerves constantly send information from your feet back to your brain about touch, pressure, temperature, vibration and position. Normally, your brain interprets those signals accurately, and you barely think about them.
When peripheral nerves become damaged, those signals can become altered. Some people experience burning or tingling. Some become unusually sensitive to touch. Others lose sensation and describe numbness, thickness, padding or that classic feeling of walking on marshmallows. That’s why putting closed shoes back on can sometimes make people more aware that something has changed.
The shoes didn’t necessarily shrink over the summer. Your feet may simply be experiencing the sensation differently. And here’s something many people don’t realize: Neuropathy can produce both too much sensation and too little sensation. One person may say, “My socks touching my toes drives me crazy.” Another may say, “I can barely feel my socks at all.” Both can occur when sensory nerves aren’t communicating normally.
Of course, strange sensations inside shoes don’t automatically mean neuropathy. Shoes that don’t fit properly, swelling, arthritis, bunions, skin problems, nerve compression and other conditions can also make footwear uncomfortable. That’s why figuring out why your feet feel different matters. And please check the feet themselves. Reduced sensation can make it easier to miss a blister, irritated area or pressure spot inside a shoe. Looking at your feet regularly becomes especially important when you can’t completely trust what you’re feeling.
So, this fall, enjoy the cooler weather. Open the windows. Take a walk. And when the time finally comes, say a respectful goodbye to the flip-flops. They’ve served the Lowcountry well. But if putting your regular shoes back on makes you realize your feet are numb, tingling, burning, unusually sensitive or feel like you’re walking on marshmallows, your body may be trying to tell you something. It may be time to get evaluated for peripheral neuropathy. Listen and get them checked.
As a new season of fall starts and health goals come into focus, identifying the right therapies for your feet can help improve circulation, comfort and overall quality of life. Start early, before a small problem turns into a bigger one.
Dr. Kenneth Horup, DC is a Chiropractic Physician at Discover Specific Chiropractic, Certified in Neuropathy.
