Gout is a severe disease that distracts people from performing their regular activities. In addition, it makes the feet sensitive and takes time to recover.
So people need to take care of their feet very well. As selecting shoes has a robust connection with developing gout, that’s why people often ask me about it. Can Tight Shoes Cause Gout?
Tight shoes can cause gout. So choose a comfortable pair of shoes with enough cushioning and support, especially wide in the toe area.
can tight shoes cause gout?
Selecting the wrong pair of shoes can cause gout. Because any damage, injury, or trauma can end up causing gout on the feet, and a wrong shoe can cause the injury.
So footwear that rubs your toe can cause injury and develop gout. So it would be best if you ensure that your footwear is enough roomy and wide in the toe and free from pinching and rubbing on the feet.
Should you wear shoes if you have gout?
Yes, you should wear shoes if you have gout. Because make the feet sensitive for some days, maybe be 2-3 weeks.
So, it is vital to wear supportive, sturdy, extra cushioning, roomy, and comfortable footwear addressing the affected areas because only a good pair of shoes can help a person get rid of the gout attack and recover quickly.
What causes gout flare-ups in feet? (6 reasons)
If the urate crystals gather in your linkage, it can cause Gout flare-up in feet, inflammation, and great pain from a gout attack. In addition, if your blood contains a high amount of uric acid, then it can form high urate crystals. This is because your body breaks down the purines substances, creating uric acid, which is naturally developed in a person’s body.
Generally, uric acid breaks down in the blood and then passes through the kidneys into the urine. But exceptionally, the uric acid can sometimes produce more from the body, or the kidneys can excrete less uric acid. And when this thing happens, it can cause pain, redness,and swelling.
I already told you that uric acid could cause gout. I will tell you about some risk aspects that can likely increase uric acid and develop the feet’ gout flare-ups. These include:
1. Diet
A diet with a rich portion of red and organ meats and drinking alcoholic beverages, especially beer or beverages made with sweet fruit sugar like fructose, can increase the uric acid level in your body and develop the risk of developing the risk out flare-ups in the feet. Also, avoid Purine in rich seafood, including anchovies, sardines, crab legs, mussels, scallops, shrimp, trout, lobster, and tuna.
2. Weight
if a person becomes overweight, it will produce too much uric acid in his body, and the kidneys will have a tough time eliminating that uric acid.
3. Medical conditions
Certain diseases or particular conditions can increase the risk of developing gout in the feet. These include a high level of untreated blood pressure or chronic conditions like diabetes, kidney diseases, obesity, heart disease, and metabolic syndrome.
4. Certain medications
Taking a low dose of aspirin and also some other drugs are used to cure hypertension —including the thiazide diuretics, the ACE inhibitors, the beta-blockers, etc.— also can enhance the uric acid in the body.
5. Family record of having gout
Suppose your family has a history of having gout, or the other members are already affected by it. In that case, there is an excellent probability for you to develop this disease also.
6. Recent surgery and trauma
Sometimes, experiencing any recent surgery and trauma can also trigger a risk of a gout attack. And another thing is sometimes receiving any vaccination can develop the gout flare-up in the feet.
Is it bad to walk on a foot with gout?
Walking on a foot with gout isn’t bad; it is safe. You need to walk on a foot even if you have severe arthritis or any other issues because the experts and physician’s note that walking on a foot or doing any physical activities which are joint-friendly is essential for improving gout-related inflammation, swelling, and pain.
Joint friendly activities are any activities that don’t create too much pressure on the body, especially joints and reduce the risk of developing gout or injury. The activities can be included:
- Walking
- Running
- Cycling
- Swimming
The experts often recommend that the adults take part or do any physical activity at least for 160 minutes in a week, with moderate intensity. However, they also recommend that people without start slow and pay attention, like how the person’s body tolerates the exercise. Then, based on the observation, he/she should start adding more time and activities.
People with gout should take more care of their bodies and adjust their physical activities based on the situation or the gout signs and symptoms that they are tolerating or experiencing.
If the symptoms and condition get worse, take an expert opinion and reduce physical activity or exercise time.
Should I stretch my foot with gout?
I already told you that exercise, and physical activities are good for people with gout, but they need to be joint-free.
If you just start to have a gout attack, then a little stretching in your feet will be good; I will help you improve the gout-related pain. But if your condition and symptoms are worse, I recommend that you go to an expert and follow their instructions.
And as for stretch, you should avoid stretching your foot according to your foot condition.
Can wear the wrong shoes cause gout?
Yes, of course, wearing the wrong shoes can cause gout. However, to avoid gout attacks, you need to be careful about some factors.
1. Select your footwear carefully:
When I researched gout attacks, I found that most gout patients wear footwear with poor features and characteristics, including poor cushioning, poor support system, instability, and lack of motion control.
I also found that around 55% of the total people made a good choice of their footwear, like athletic sneakers, some good walking shoes, etc. But 43% of the people suffer from gout attacks for wearing the wrong footwear and suffer from severe pain, like sandals, slippers, walking shoes for running, flip-flops, etc., when any of those are not sturdy and good for feet the rest 2% wear boots.
2. Old Shoes Pose Problems
More than 55% of old shoe users suffer from gout. Well, not so frequently, but one needs to change his/her shoes after 4-5 years of use (if some parts of the shoe are broken); otherwise, it can develop gout problems.
Sometimes doctors also suggest that gout patients change their shoes and buy new shoes with comfort, sturdy, well cushioning, and enough heel support.
FAQ about Can Tight Shoes Cause Gout
Yes, tight shoes can make your gout problem worse. So try to wear footwear with good support, enough cushioning, and roomy (not too much).
Yes, it is totally ok to wear socks with gout, especially if you live in a freezing area, then you are very much susceptible to attack by gout. So in this situation, keeping your feet warm by wearing socks is a must. Avoid exposing the feet in the cold because gout often attacks the thumb.
Gout pain is horrifying. The symptoms or signs may last for 1-2 weeks or even more. And the pain usually starts and gets worst from the very first or second day.
While going or talking to a physician or expert will be the best decision for gout patients. But still, there are some preliminary steps (before worst condition) you can follow to get rid of gout pain fast:
1. Get an NSAID (avoid aspirin)
2. Take your prescribed drugs only
3. Apply some ice on the joint
4. Elevate your joint area
5. Stay hydrated all the time
6. Take the pain easily
Our verdict on Can Tight Shoes Cause Gout
And if you already had a gout attack, then the right shoe can make it worse. So selecting a perfect pair of shoes and taking care of your feet is very important for staying stressed and free from worries.
Relevant posts:
Can Shoes Cause Shin Splits? (Explained)
Do Vans Have Arch Support? (Quick Answer!)
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Meet Sarah, a girl with a passion for crafting and sewing. From a young age, Sarah has been drawn to the world of creativity, always finding joy in creating beautiful things with her own two hands. Whether it’s knitting, crocheting, or sewing, Sarah loves nothing more than exploring new patterns, colors, and textures to bring her projects to life.