National Measure Your Feet Day
A day dedicated to measuring feet appears to be a strange concept. However, 23rd January is National Measure Your Feet Day.
It’s an opportunity for everyone to give your feet a little more attention.
People rarely think about their feet, but they are a vital part of our everyday lives and require as much care as any other part of our bodies, if not more!
National Measure Your Feet Day originates from Iceland. Ancient Icelanders spent most of their free time, either bowling or ‘shelbing’*. Shelbing is high-fiving with your feet! When spring, a time known for extreme rainstorms in Iceland, the natives would run into their huts, and celebrate the rain by measuring their feet and then pairing off. Shelbing was a customary way to celebrate the rainstorms. Soon enough world leaders caught wind of this usual tradition and found a way to commemorate it, and it continues to this day!
One of the best ways to keep your feet healthy during winter and prevent foot problems from occurring is to ensure you have shoes that fit. If you are experiencing foot pain, whether it’s cramping in your toes or heel pain, it could be because you are wearing the wrong size shoe. When shoes are too tight or even too loose, it can create painful problems for your feet.
Get your feet measured correctly
Ensure your feet are correctly measured. Otherwise, if you wear uncomfortable, badly fitting shoes, the following conditions may occur:
- Forcing the big toes into a bent position by wearing high heels for long periods of time might shorten the toe’s muscles, forming a Hammer Toe.
- Bunions can occur if the toe joint pushes out of its normal position, causing a bulge on the side of the foot that can become inflamed.
- The skin naturally protects itself from constant repeated pressure by building hard layers of skin. Corns and Calluses are bumps of hard skin cells. This often occurs son the toes and in between the toes.
- Ingrown Toenails occur when the corner or side of a nail grows into the skin. This condition can cause redness, pain, and swelling and can even become infected.
Shoe sizes are not all the same
When was the last time you took a proper measurement of your feet? To celebrate today, get the tape out of the bottom of your drawer and recheck their size. Make sure you take note of the exact measurements of both your feet and your shoes. Get yourself properly fitting shoes, as one manufacturer sizing is likely to be different from another.
For great fitting shoes, visit a qualified Shoe Fitter who is a member of The Society of Shoe Fitters.
