Painful corns and wrong shoes
nicola keating Wed 13 Jan 2016 updated: Wed 24 Feb 2016
We understand that wearing high heels has become part of most uniforms, we are here to help with the consequences from this fashionable foot straitjacket.
As a result we have found a number of patients develop painful corns between the toes (mostly between the baby toe and one next to it) this is due to squishing the foot into a shoe that is too narrow at the toe area.
What we advise our patients to do is select a high heel that fits you perfectly. I spent many money working in a podiatry clinic in San Francisco providing shoe evaluation and fittings. Sticking felt and gels to the inside of a Prada or Louis Vuitton high heel shoe costing more than 2 months mortgage is very VERY nerve wracking.
By selecting a shoe that has a strap across the ankle or the mid foot you create a barrier to shop the shoe from slipping off your feet which is turns stops the toes from curling to keep your shoe on. This is the same advice for anyone wearing ballerina pumps, always select a shoe with a strap as it stops the toes from having to work harder to keep your shoes on.
One point to remember is every shoe by any shoe maker is made on a different last (the wooden block that shapes the shoe) so you may be a size 6 in Next but a size 5.5 in Marks and Spencers. So do try on shoes if you are shopping in a different shop to what you are used to.
One way we can prevent corns coming back (apart from selecting better shoes) is to protect the area with a cushion. This can be as low maintenance as a plaster on the toe beside your troubled area.
Beside this blog there is photos of a corn cushion and also tubefoa which can be slid over the toe beside the offending corn and protect it.
In the clinic we take away the hard and irritated skin and apply a soothing medicated dressing, after this the hard work is up to you. It is your job to either change your footwear or protect the toe against rubbing. I can almost guarantee that if you do nothing, it will most certainly come back with a vengeance.
NEVER EVER USE CORN PLASTERS WITH SALICYLIC ACID IN THEM. this will burn the skin and we have seen countless burning injuries with these plasters. Seek podiatric help with getting rid of the corn and use corn cushions ( without acid) to protect the delicate area!
I hope this helps, please just pop in or give us a call if you do have any questions regarding shoe choice or corn treatment.
Nic