Can steel toe boots cause foot problems? Yes! When safety shoes were introduced in the 1800s, the intention was to protect the industrial workers’ feet from the common types of workplace foot injuries that include electrocution, crushing, slips, or punctures.
But workers have begun complaining about sore feet or aching toes from wearing safety shoes. This has become a common concern among industrial workers, especially for those whose job requires them to be constantly on their feet.
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Are Steel Toe Boots Bad for Your Feet
Wearing a steel toe boot is not necessarily bad for your feet because it is designed to protect your feet from workplace injuries. It only becomes bad for your feet if you wear safety boots of the wrong size and if they are worn for a long period without resting your feet in between.
It is always important that you choose safety steel toe boots that perfectly fit your feet. They will provide them with not just protection from workplace injuries but also comfort. Most importantly, the perfect size of work shoes will prevent your feet from experiencing different types of foot problems.
Below we have rounded up the list of possible steel toe boot injuries that you might encounter.
Common Foot Injuries From Wearing Steel Toe Boots
1. Blisters
Anyone can get blisters, and this problem can worsen if you neglect it. If you wear very tight shoes, blisters on foot could occur if there is excessive and repetitive rubbing between your toes and the steel walls in the toe area of your work shoes. The constant rubbing could result in a tiny tear under the skin surface, which causes blisters.
2. Calluses
You’ll know if you have calluses when you see a build-up of thickened skin on the bottom part of your toes. Calluses are common foot problems that occur in the bottom skin area of the toes where you exert too much pressure by wearing a wrong-sized steel toe work boot.
3. Corn
Corn is also the thickening of the skin on top of the toes and in between the toes. The skin areas on top of the toes that constantly rub against the steel toe cap and the toes excessively rubbing against each other result in corn issues. Safety boots that don’t fit properly are a common cause of this foot problem.
4. Hammer Toe
This type of foot problem occurs when you are wearing a work shoe that is too tight or too short. Wearing short or tight steel toe boots hurt top of foot and could cause your toes to bend, protruding the joint and rubbing it against the steel plate of the boots, which could lead to a hammertoe.
A hammertoe can give you the utmost discomfort, especially if you won’t get it treated.
5. Crossover Toe
Crossover toe is another foot problem that could happen when you wear work shoes that have a small or tight steel toe box. If the steel boots’ toe area doesn’t have enough space for the toes, the tendency is that the second toe would curl up and cross over the top of the big toe; thus, crossover toe happens.
6. Plantar Fasciitis
If you are experiencing pain in the heel area from wearing shoes for a long period, then you most probably are experiencing plantar fasciitis. This is a repetitive strain injury for people who wear steel toe boots for several hours while standing. Plantar fasciitis can happen if your safety shoes have inadequate arch support.
7. Bunions
A bunion is one of the problems from steel toe shoes. This condition could occur if you have wide feet and if you wear boots that have a narrow and tight toe area that squeezes your toes together. The abnormal bump that develops inside the bony part of your big toes is what we call a bunion, and this can be very painful.
Bunions develop slowly when you don’t address the issue of your tight and narrow steel toe boots, which can lead to severe pain due to excessive shoe irritation.
8. Ankle Sprains
A sprained ankle can happen when you accidentally twist your ankle from a bad fall, and this can be aggravated by wearing a work shoe that doesn’t properly fit your foot.
This is one of the common foot problems among industrial workers that need to move consistently, who are required to wear steel toe work boots as part of their overall personal protective gear.
9. Metatarsalgia
When you are at work and you constantly move around while wearing your tight or loose steel toe boots, chances are you might experience metatarsalgia. Metatarsalgia is a type of foot injury where the ball of your foot is inflamed, although this condition is considered not serious, this can be so annoying because of the pain you might feel.
How to Recover From Foot Sores
It’s possible that wearing steel toe boots hurt my toes or your toes; it can give sore feet or sore legs to anyone and anytime, especially if the steel toe boots are poorly fitted. Sometimes, you cannot just steer clear from foot pain, especially if your work is demanding and you have to constantly go to places in a day.
Foot problems are normal, and you can always keep them from getting serious, as long as you take care of your feet. But if you are looking for a long-term solution, you need to get a different pair of safety shoes that has a proper fit, a comfortable instep area, and enough room in the toe area.
If the reinforced steel plates integrated in the toe area of your work shoes are causing pain, then you might want to consider a safety shoe that has a soft toe such as work boots with composite toes. Such boots are proven to provide better comfort compared to steel-toed boots.
To allow your feet to recover from a day’s work, watch this video and learn the home remedy on how to give your feet the tender loving care they deserve.
Conclusion
As we end the discussion on can steel toe boots cause foot problems, it is important to remember that work boots with steel toe caps are designed to protect your feet from injuries and not to cause a problem.
However, there are several foot problems one can encounter from wearing a poorly fitted steel toe boot. Some of these foot problems are normal and generally not serious, so long as you take good care of your feet and immediately treat the problems that would occur.
But for a long term solution, make sure to wear steel toe boots that perfectly fit your foot.
This is Edward Manning, the editor in chief of Construction Informer. Quite a bit of my time is spent researching the market and interviewing experts in the field so that I can give you reliable information.