It’s not uncommon to experience sharp pain in your leg after wearing certain shoes for long hours. But, when this keeps happening from time to time, you may wonder if your shoes could be the culprit here.
Well, stop wondering! In this article, I’ve disclosed whether your shoes can be related to leg pain and if there’s any way to prevent it.
So, stay put!
Can Shoes Cause Leg Pain?
Yes, shoes can cause leg pain if they are not fitting you properly and have insufficient support. When you keep wearing ill-fitted shoes without enough support, your upper and lower leg muscles have to work harder than usual, which ultimately ends up causing leg pain.
Shoes, however, are supposed to protect your legs. Yet, sometimes they may put your feet in grave injury or cause immense pain.
But don’t get upset, as this happens only when you wear shoes that are too much tight or loose and don’t give enough support to your feet.
That being said, the wrong pair of shoes may put much more pressure on the leg muscles and joints than you usually have with your regular activity.
Thus, if this keeps going on, your shoes can ultimately cause ankle pain, calf pain, or any other leg-related pain.
But you don’t have to get worried too much, as later in this article, I’m gonna let you know how you can prevent the shoes from causing leg pain.
How Do Shoes Affect Your Feet And Cause Leg Pain
Whether you’re a runner, a walker, or just someone who wants to avoid leg pain, it’s important to understand the impact that your footwear can have on your body.
But how do shoes affect your feet and cause leg pain?
Well, let’s find out how a pair of shoes can affect your feet and cause leg pain.
1. Wrong-Sized Shoes
The most common reason for leg pain is wearing a pair of wrong-sized and poorly fitted shoes. Because when you put on a wrong-sized shoe, the following can happen-
- If the shoes are small for your feet, there won’t be enough space for your toes and ball to wiggle naturally. Which can cause toe and ankle pain.
- Too tight shoes may put too much pressure on your ball and heel, causing leg aches.
- When your shoes are too loose, with continuous tripping, it may put you at risk of a leg injury. Too large shoes also can change your gait while disrupting your daily activity as they can’t provide enough support to your feet.
So, to prevent your leg from getting such injuries, make sure to only wear the shoes that fit you perfectly.
2. Worn Out Shoes
When you wear worn-out shoes while walking, your feet feel the enormous stress and shock of the ground that was supposed to be absorbed by the shoes.
Thus, shoes with worn-out soles can cause pain in our legs, ankle, and back as well. Which ultimately can lead to severe foot conditions like shin splints and a runner’s knee.
So, make sure to get a new pair instead of wearing worn-out shoes, especially when you are an athlete.
3. Improper Footwear For Your Activity
Poor footwear choice for the activity can lead to a leg injury while causing common problems like Achilles tendon pain, bunions, ingrown nails, and many more.
For instance, flip-flops can’t provide your feet the support needed for running and cause leg pain.
Furthermore, if you choose heels for hiking, your legs may get hurt severely as heels are not designed for rough and rocky terrain.
Your legs, however, can get susceptible to foot problems like blisters, strained ankles, or even broken bones, if you wear shoes that are wrong for the activity.
So, to prevent leg pain, pick the correct pair of shoes for the activity you’ll be doing wearing them.
Follow our guide to know if shoes are slip resistant.
4. Shoes With Insufficient Support
You always need functional shoes with enough arch and heel support when you do vigorous activities like running. However, wearing shoes that lack the support your feet require may cause pain and injury to the legs.
Besides, wearing cushioned shoes is crucial, if you already have foot problems like flat feet or plantar fasciitis.
Because your foot condition may worsen if you keep wearing such footwear without enough support.
5. Wearing Shoes With High Heels
Another culprit for leg pain could be a pair of high-heeled shoes. Although your fancy high heels can be seen as a fashion requirement, they can actually put havoc on your legs causing problems like ankle sprains, bunions, hammer toe, and so on.
Because when you walk in high heels, your feet have to deal with an enormous amount of pressure with each step you take.
The extra inch of your heels, however, augments the stress that your heel and ankle feel while walking.
So, to ensure a pain-free walk, pick a pair of shoes with low and bulkier heels.
Moreover, the size, shape, and type of shoes– together can contribute to causing pain in your legs. But, whatever the reasons might be, you must deal with them as soon as you can.
How To Choose The Right Shoe
While the wrong pair can injure your legs, the right one can do the opposite and prevent your legs from getting hurt. So, it’s very important to pick wisely while purchasing any footwear.
Let’s check out how can you choose the right pair of shoes for your feet.
- Check the shoe’s fitting properly by trying them out before buying. And make sure to wear them with your regular socks on while trying out. This will ensure the right fitting.
- Always measure your shoe size before buying, as your feet sizes may change with time. Carefully choose the shoe size and never go for the large ones with a stretchable pair of shoes.
- While checking the shoe fitting, make sure there’s enough space for your toes to wiggle around. And your toes shouldn’t touch the end of your shoes.
Never buy a pair where your toe gets curled whenever you put them on, as the shoes might be small for your feet.
- Check if your desired pair of shoes are of the right width for your feet. If you feel pressure around the widest part of your feet, then go for the wider ones.
- If you got foot problems like plantar fasciitis, or when you want a pair for athletic activity, choose shoes with enough heel and arch support.
- The right pair of shoes should have a good heel grip. Stroll around with the shoes for a while, and check whether the heels are slipping while walking. If they are, change the pair and look for ones with a good heel grip.
- Inspect the soles and the upper, they should be sturdy enough to protect your legs from external objects yet feel comfy to the feet.
- When you want a pair with a specific activity in mind, choose a pair that is best fitted for it. For instance, if you are a runner, you must buy shoes that are specifically designed for running.
Overall, while buying shoes, you should go for a functional yet comfortable pair. And all the above-mentioned tips will help you to make the right choice.
Best Shoes For Leg Pain
Some brands offer shoes that are specifically designed for relieving leg pain. Hence, whether you are already dealing with leg pain or wanna prevent your legs from getting hurt beforehand, go for the specially-designed ones.
So, let’s take a look at the 4 best shoes that can relieve your leg pain:
1. New Balance Fresh Foam 1080 V10 Running Shoes
New Balance Fresh Foam 1080 V10 running Shoes offer great support to your feet with the featured hypoknit upper and extra cushioning.
The breathable upper and lightweight of the shoes make them a perfect fit for long hours of pain-free standing.
In addition to that, the exclusive Ortholite sock liner of the shoes can help you to alleviate any ongoing leg and back pain.
2. Asics Gel-Kayano 27 MK Running Shoes
Asics Gel-Kayano shoes offer a unique gel technology cushioning system, which absorbs the shock during the toe-off phases of running.
Also, this special support system helps to keep your body in the right posture with each step.
Additionally, with the featured FlyteFoam Midsole and EVA sock liner, these shoes offer extreme comfort while caring for your leg pain.
3. New Balance 1540v3
With the super foamy outsole and breathable upper, the New Balance 1540v3 is an excellent choice for running and walking.
The supportive and sturdy midsole will care for your feet’ health and can help with your leg and back pain.
4. Asics Women’s GT-2000 9
Just like the Kayano model, Asics Women’s GT-2000 9 is a splendid choice for pain-free running due to its gel technology.
In addition to that, these shoes have an outstanding bounce-back feature, which makes them extremely responsive while walking.
With the extreme support of organic super fibers, Asics GT-2000 9 can help you with any kind of leg pain.
Overall, while buying a new pair to get relief from your leg pain, you can give a thought about buying a pair with all the required pain-relieving features. And when this is the case, you can easily consider choosing one among the shoes I’ve mentioned here.
Parting Thoughts
While protecting your feet from the outside world, shoes make your life easier. But with a wrong pair, the contrary can happen.
However, when it’s about blaming shoes for the leg pain you are dealing with, hopefully, this article will answer all your queries. And all the provided tips will definitely help you to relieve the pain.
Also, don’t forget to comment below if you got more queries!
