When shoes do not fit properly, they can cause parts of the feet to develop into calluses, bunions, uncomfortable corns and hammer toes. Most foot problems can be prevented or alleviated by properly fitting shoes.

Improperly fitted shoes is a huge public health risk in the US. One in six persons, or 46.7 million people, in the U.S. have foot problems. Thirty-six percent regard their foot problems as serious enough to warrant medical attention. The cost of foot surgery to correct foot problems from tight-fitting shoes is $2 billion a year. If time off from work for the surgery and recovery is included, the cost is $3.5 billion.

Medical conditions caused or aggravated by improperly fitting footwear:

• Arch pain
• Arthritis of the foot
• Bunions
• Calluses
• Corns
• Foot numbness
• Hammer toe
• Heel fissures
• Heel pain
• Heel spurs
• Mallet toe
• Metatarsalgia
• Morton's neuroma
• Morton's toe
• Overlapping toes
• Post-tib tendinitis