Have you heard the story about the man who lost his little toe in an accident?

You might think toes are not that important, and yes, of course you can live without a little toe. But according to the story, it took the man several weeks to find his balance and learn how to properly walk again.

When you think about it, it makes sense.

Our feet carry us every single day and handle way more pressure than we realise. Every part of the foot has a function that is meant to help support the rest of the body.

But when we wear shoes that squeeze our toes together and limit their natural movement, the foot cannot work the way it is meant to. Over time, this can lead to different kinds of discomfort and problems.

Not sure if your feet have enough space? Here are 5 common signs to be aware of!

If you often feel pain in the ball of your foot, knees, or back, it may be a sign that your shoes are restricting your feet too much, especially by not giving your toes enough space in the toe box.

Shoes with a heel and a stiff sole can restrict the foot’s natural movement. This may affect your walking pattern and posture, potentially leading to pain that travels up your knees, hips and lower back.

This is not always the cause, but these are common signs that your shoes may be too narrow or the wrong shape for your feet.

Toes that are pressed too closely together begin to shape one another, and can in some cases even start to overlap, for example the little toe being tucked under the adjacent toe.

When your toes are restricted in this way, they are unable to spread out as they should when your foot is bearing weight.

Without natural toe splay during walking, your foot has less stability and pressure is not distributed evenly.

Your toes need room to spread out in order to support your body and help you stay balanced.

Blisters and chafing are often caused by repeated friction and pressure on the foot. When shoes are too narrow, they can press against the sides of the foot and create rubbing around the little toe, big toe, or other sensitive areas.

Although many people assume discomfort is just a part of breaking in new shoes, the truth is this:

If your shoes fit you properly, they will not hurt. Not even in the beginning!

If it feels incredible to take your shoes off at the end of the day, it is definitely a sign that your shoes are not a good fit.

Shoes that are too narrow or do not match the natural shape of your foot will cause discomfort. After a couple hours of wear, this can leave your feet feeling tired, sore, and irritated.

A good shoe should not feel like something you have to “put up with”.

They may look great, and maybe they seem comfortable at first, but after a couple hours your feet start to object.

Your toes go numb, the shoe is digging into different parts of your foot and suddenly you cannot take another step without constantly thinking about how much your feet hurt.

Back-up shoes to the rescue!

But your shoes should not dictate or control your day-to-day life.

A good pair of shoes should feel comfortable to wear all day.

At Widetoes we reject shoes that are not wide enough for your feet to work properly.

We look for shoes that have a foot-shaped design and a wide toe box. Shoes that are comfortable from the very first time you put them on.

Because shoes should look like feet, not the other way around.