Why Do Women Commonly Have More Foot Problems Than Men?

Women more commonly present to the Podiatry clinic with foot concerns than men. Some factors that can predispose women to this are footwear and attending nail salons for pedicures.

Women’s fashion footwear in the current market provides little to no support for foot function. They are often ill fitting and place a higher level of stress through the foot. While men’s shoes typically have a wider toe box, fastenings and greater ground contact surface area, the opposite is noted in most women’s shoes. High heels and ballet flats are two of the most commons women’s fashion shoes. These two types of shoes in particular demonstrate problematic characteristics for good foot health.

The smaller contact surface area, elevated heel height and narrow toe box of this shoe type place greater stress on the forefoot and alter the natural gait cycle significantly. The smaller surface contact area and forward shift in the bodies centre of gravity place most of the bodies weight onto the ball of the foot. Common pathologies linked to long term use of high heels include: bunions, corns, callus, toe deformities, Achilles tendonitis and plantar plate tears.

Ballet flats may seem like the lesser of two evils when it comes to women’s footwear, but this is not the case. Soft soled shoes with no fastenings and little structure to the shoe also cause harm. This type of shoe is often harder to keep on your foot and allows for excessive foot motion in those with pronated foot types. Often digital deformities, heel pain, calluses and pathology due to poor foot posture are associated with this type of shoe.

Attending nail salons is often something women do to pamper themselves but there is a risk associated. Fungal nail infections and ingrown toe nails are common in those frequenting nail salons. Booking a medical pedicure with a Podiatrist is one way to avoid such risk while still enjoying the benefits of a pampering treatment.​