TheJakartaPost
Please Update your browser
Your browser is out of date, and may not be compatible with our website. A list of the most popular web browsers can be found below.
Just click on the icons to get to the download page.
How to break in new shoes amid tropical humidity
No one wants blisters while showing off their new shoes, so you may want to prepare the shoes and your feet before walking with them.
Change text size
Gift Premium Articles
to Anyone
Share the best of The Jakarta Post with friends, family, or colleagues. As a subscriber, you can gift 3 to 5 articles each month that anyone can read—no subscription needed!
New shoes are always exciting but many times it is hard to walk in them. (Shutterstock/Kristi Blokhin)
It is always exciting to get a new pair of shoes, but many times it is hard to walk in them.
Brand new footwear may hurt your feet as the leather is still tight and stiff. Combined with tropical humidity, new shoes can be even more uncomfortable. However, some things can be done to avoid discomfort that comes with a new pair.
1. Practice walking in them around the house
You may have bought a new pair for a special occasion, and for women, many times pretty shoes can come with very uncomfortable heels. You would not want new shoes to give you sore feet and spoil a special day for you.
To avoid the hassle, try walking in the shoes at home for an hour or so every evening before the big day.
Dermatologist Alicia Barba told Vogue that this would allow your feet to get used to the feel and fit of new shoes. As the feet adapt to the shoes, the practice will also mold the shoes to fit the foot better.
2. Stretch the shoes
Bustle website advises that one way to break in a pair shoes is to stretch them. There are several techniques to physically stretch new shoes. One way is to wear a pair of socks and put on your shoes. Then, get a hairdryer and heat the shoes all round. It helps relax the material so it stretches without ruining the design. This way, the shoes will not hold on to your skin too tightly when you wear them without socks.
Read also: SHL promotes foot wellness, offers shoes with built-in insoles for haj pilgrims
3. Prepare your skin
Some products can be used to ease the feet's adaptation to new shoes, namely adhesive bandages, blister cushions and surgical tape to stick on places that might be pained. Bustle states that the first and second toes are usually good places for bandages, but you also could try taping the third and fourth toes together to avoid pressure on the nerves in between, usually caused by the pressure of the shoe.
"The most common nerve that gets irritated is the one that sits between the third and fourth toes, mainly because the toes spread apart when the tissues enlarge," podiatrist Joan Oloff said as quoted by Bustle.com.
"Because of this, taping one’s toes can remove some pressure from the nerve and inflamed tissues.”
4. Beware of Blisters
Blisters sting and are best avoided. If there are signs of blisters developing around the heel of the foot, remember to moisturize to reduce friction between the shoes and the feet. Podiatrist Heidi Meckler told Cosmopolitan that a spray of deodorant may also stop blisters. However, if you do get a blister, turn to a cushioned bandage for recovery, or wear other shoes that are more comfortable until the blisters fully heal. (gis/mut)
