Finding shoes that fit properly has often been a challenge. I began my teaching career in 2008 and finding properly fitting shoes for hours on my feet was tough. Although shoes were my size, they were often too narrow. I'd walk and be on my feet all day, by dismissal I'd feel miserable. It got to the point where my toes would rub and be squished so much my toes began to change. My smaller toes had a hard callous that formed at the bottom. As I got older I developed bunions, and low arches. In elementary school a friend asked me if my foot hurt when I landed after a jump. I said they did. She told me to tell my mom and go to the doctor because she was given insoles after telling her mom. Since at a young age I knew my mother would not listen, or even worse, get mad. I never told anyone.
That is until I moved in with my fiancé at 25. He would see how red my feet would be at the end of the day. He'd notice how much I hated wearing my shoes. He encouraged me to spend money on insoles. To find solution to my problem by searching for wide shoes. In the early 2000's wide shoes were often nurse shoes. Not stylish enough for work. But as I looked for alternatives, I found that I cold find shoes online that might fit. They were hit or miss, but it was a relief to just find shoes.
DSW (Designer Shoe Wearhouse) became a place for me to find shoes and try them on. It always had varieties and it made me feel hopeful. When I found shoes that fit, I'd get so excited. It was like presents on Christmas day. Since leaving teaching my taste in shoes has changed. I am all about comfort! I wear sneakers. I don't care what fashion trends say, I'm taking care of my feet from now on.
In October of last year, I was introduced to YogaToes GEMS (link takes you to YogaToes' Amazon store). It changed my feet for the better. It stretches my toes giving them relief from walking and the confinement of shoes. They changed my feet so much that I can see my toe nails. Over the years, my toes were facing towards the right on my right foot and towards the left on my left foot. I was embarrassed by my toes. Always wearing socks. YogaToes has helped me love my toes again. I have used them for four months and I am happy to say my toes have begun to face forward, a.k.a. look normal. My pinky toes still face the wrong direction, but thankfully the rest are shifting. It's made it easier to paint my toe nails! Major victory. It transformed them so much I think my feet are cute. Never thought that would be possible for me.
If you have issues with finding shoes that fit, with the way your toes look, you are not alone. Many of us suffer in silence. Feel misunderstood because ugly toes are things to make fun of, not talk about. Well, I'm here to say that is just not the case. There are products that are helping people like us fix the problems that have plagued us. Be it wide shoes, toe stretchers or toe cushions.
Take care,
Kat
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*Link is safe and takes you to Amazon