During the pandemic, many of us have been directed to remain in our homes. These stay at home orders mean that you are probably walking around your home in socks or barefoot. Either of these options means that your feet are not getting the proper arch support needed. This can cause foot pain as well as knee and joint pain. If you are experiencing pain, read on for a solution to consider.
What Are the Benefits of Walking Barefoot?
As you can imagine, the benefits of walking barefoot are many:
- better control of your foot position when it strikes the ground
- improvements in balance, proprioception, and body awareness, which can help with pain relief
- better foot mechanics, which can lead to improved mechanics of the hips, knees, and core
- maintaining an appropriate range of motion in your foot and ankle joints as well as adequate strength and stability within your muscles and ligaments
- relief from improperly fitting shoes, which may cause bunions, hammertoes, or other foot deformities
- stronger leg muscles, which support the lower back region
However when we don’t have proper support the arches of our feet can become strained. This means that you can be causing long term damage as well. However, there is a solution, a house shoe!
Are You Worried Because You Are Walking More in Bare Feet?
While you are asked to stay home during this pandemic, you do need to be mindful of your health. This includes your foot health. Now is a great time to make an appointment with your custom orthotics provider to ensure that you are doing your part to help maintain your foot’s arches. The arches of your foot are where you get that spring in your step. When they are not properly cared for they can go flat, which can cause a great deal of pain. While you might not have had the time to seek out a custom orthotics provider in your busy and hectic life before, you have plenty of time now that you are confined to your home.
The Solution? The Traditional House Shoe
House Shoes are shoes or properly fitted slippers that are worn in the home. These will provide support, especially when paired with a custom orthotic. We do a lot of standing in our home as well as walking. Standing at the stove to cook, doing the dishes, laundry and cleaning are all examples of things that are done in our home on our feet.
However, many of us don’t want to wear our normal shoes in our home to dirty the floors. That’s why house shoes are the perfect solution. They will remain only to be worn in the home. When combined with a custom orthotic, these house shoes don’t have to be of superior quality, as the custom orthotic will be the support that your foot needs. However, they should fit right. You don’t want shoes that are squishing your toes or causing pain in some fashion. While this time is a good break from some of those pointed toes and high heels, your house shoes should be comfortable. After all, being at home should be made as comfortable as possible.
It’s Time To Embrace The “House Shoe.”
House shoes don’t necessarily need to be shoes per se. There are many types of slippers that would fit the bill. You do need to have something that a custom orthotic can fit in. So slides might not be the best choice, since they tend to slip and slide around a lot in them. However, having a shoe with a back allows the orthotic to have a place to seat against, keeping it in place. They even have slippers that are more like boots that can keep your feet, legs, and ankles warm while you are indoors. Finding a style that is comfortable while being able to house an orthotic is important. Be sure that you purchase the shoe knowing you will be placing an orthotic in it. Many times you might want to consider going up a 1/2 size to ensure comfort and room within the shoe.
Here’s a great list of the most popular styles of house shoes: https://slate.com/human-interest/2020/05/best-house-shoes.html
Remember, The 3 Arches of Your Feet Still Need Support!
The Shoe Doctor has specialized in providing custom orthotics for 20 years. The right orthotic insoles can greatly reduce foot, knee and hip pain while increasing performance and comfort. Russell at The Shoe Doctor will help educate and assist you in finding the perfect solution for your particular situation. We will create a 3D map of your feet and make custom orthotics for your hiking boots, everyday shoes, and everything else in between. These orthotics, along with our expert advice, will get you using orthotics like a pro, and have you performing at your peak of your abilities in no time! If you are in the San Francisco Bay Area, give The Shoe Doctor a call to get the best custom orthotics in the area! We are here to assist you, give us a call at (925) 820-0220 for your free consultation!
