For a few months I have had painful soles of my feet in the morning when I get up. I think this is the result of a summer on flip flops and flats. It seems as if my feet are taking on a cramped shape and can hardly relax anymore. What causes this pain to develop and last for a long time?
Liz
Sepp Mortelmans, podiatrist
After the summer holidays, the podiatrist invariably sees patients with complaints from wearing slippers. Wearing slippers can cause all kinds of complaints such as Achilles tendon complaints or shin splints. But the most common complaint in podiatry practice as a result of wearing slippers is the so-called ‘heel spur’: an inflammation/irritation of the tendon plate under the foot (plantar fasciitis).
flapping
When rolling off the foot, the heel rises during the so-called ‘heel lift’ in order to put one leg in front of the other. The moment the heel comes up, the slipper is still on the ground and then ‘flapping’ behind it. This is also the typical sound that can be heard when wearing slippers. From the moment the heel comes up, the footbed of the slipper has a lesser function, simply because there is no longer direct contact with the foot.
You also take shorter steps in slippers and you do not complete the step well. This will certainly apply to people who have difficulty walking in slippers due to the construction of their feet. Also, the heel often falls off the slipper because it does not provide support; just pay attention to random people on the street who walk in slippers. Slippers with a footbed will provide more support when walking than a flat slipper, so you are less likely to slip off the slipper.
claws
Another problem when wearing slippers is the claws of the toes. To keep the slipper on the foot, the toes go automatic claws. As a result, there is a lot of tension on the tendons of the toes and on the tendon plate under the foot, causing it to become irritated or even inflamed, resulting in pain. With a severe tendon plate irritation/inflammation you can be busy for a year and a half before these complaints are over.
I therefore recommend that you make an appointment with a podiatrist to have your foot complaints checked to make sure that there is no overuse injury.
Do you also have a question? Then ask one of our experts. Always go to your doctor with urgent questions, the experts are not the right person for that. They also do not diagnose. You can find the other conditions here.
Sepp Mortelmans is a podiatrist. He is a specialist in the field of ultrasound and foot complaints as a result of rheumatism. You can ask him questions about foot problems in general and his field in particular.
