Have you ever been excited about getting a new pair of shoes until you wear them and end up with a blister? We’ve all been there, but don’t you worry, there is a solution. This article provides you with easy tips on how to stop shoes from rubbing the back of your feet.
We all have probably gotten a blister before at some point in our lives. Blisters can be really painful, and one of the most painful parts of the body to get a blister is your feet. It’s likely possible you will get blisters more frequently if your shoes consistently rub against your feet while you walk around.
You can stop shoes from rubbing the back of your feet by ensuring that your shoes fit properly; leaving no room for friction between your shoe and the back of your feet. You can also just take off your shoes and wear something more comfortable.
Asides from taking off your shoes, what other ways are there to stop shoes from hurting the back of your foot? Ahead are several ways of protecting your feet from being rubbed by your shoes.
How to Stop Shoes From Rubbing the Back of Your Feet
Are you tired of the pain and discomfort of blisters that come as a result of shoes rubbing your feet? Trust me, I have been there too. It is frustrating to purchase a new pair of shots and then begin to worry that it might result in pain at the end of the day.
Fortunately, there are several ways to stop shoes from rubbing your feet and provide comfort in all of your footwear.
1. Make Use of Good Insoles and Orthotics
Shoes that are too big are responsible for causing friction because they allow your feet to move around inside them. However, using quality insoles or shoe fillers help to stop your shoes from rubbing the back of your feet.
Insoles add a subtle lift to your foot. This helps in decreasing the surface area that comes in contact with the back of your feet. It also provides your feet with a slightly tighter fit and this will help in reducing the movement between the shoe and the skin on the back of your feet.
Insoles provide support for the feet and make a shoe comfortable, nevertheless, Insoles reduce traction between your skin and the shoe. You can get yourself a gel insole from any shoe store.
2. Double Socks
You can often feel your shoe rubbing the back of your feet as you walk anytime you wear very thin socks. Wear double socks to reduce the rate at which friction occurs on the skin of your feet.
The majority of the socks we get off the shelves are made of cotton, and cotton as we know is a material that absorbs moisture. This automatically makes cotton socks a poor choice to protect your feet against the uncomfortable rubbing of shoes.
Choose socks made of wool, as this material is great for bringing out moisture from the skin. You can go for thicker and padded socks made of wool instead of the thin ones made of nylon.
SEE: Can You Tell The Difference Between Air Jordan and Jordan Brand?
3. Use Moleskin
You can purchase moleskin from any drugstore. Moleskin is an adhesive cotton fabric that you can apply on your skin and in your shoe. It helps to prevent your skin from rubbing against your shoe.
Simply cut out and apply a moleskin of about 1/16 inches to the heel of your shoe. This will improve fit and reduce the rubbing of the shoe against your feet.
Here is how to do it:
- Cut out a large enough moleskin to cover the area of the shoe you want to cover using a pair of scissors.
- Size the piece up on the back of the feet.
- Use a pen to draw the area you wish to cover.
- Now cut it into the shape you have drawn.
- You can now stick the moleskin on a clean heel.
Even though moleskin is designed for shoes, you can also stick it on your skin. Cut out enough moleskin and place it on your clean heel.
Moleskins are available in different colors and different levels of thickness, this allows you to go for anyone that you feel matches your needs.
SEE: Home Remedies and Treatment to Help Rid Heel Spur
4. Use Duct Tape
If you run and often hike, then you need a solution that can last even on your longest and hardest hikes and run. A nice way to prep your heels for this is to apply duct tape. This will help reduce friction and rubbing of shoes on the back of your feet.
5. Use Antiperspirant or Foot Powder
Using an antiperspirant and foot powders will help to keep your feet dry, this will help to prevent sweat and moisture that cause shoe rubbing to create chafing at the back of your feet. can help prevent blisters.
Make use of the powdery antiperspirant rather than gel kind because gels can be sticky.
SEE: Helpful Tips on How to Prevent Heel Blisters
6. Use an Anti-friction Balm
Buy yourself an anti-friction balm at a drugstore and ensure that you buy one that is made especially for the feet. These products create protection between your shoe and your Achilles. The lubrication supports your feet to help to reduce friction.
However, if your shoes wipe out the balm from your feet, you can reapply the balm.
7. Mold Your Footwear With Heat
You can also soften and mold your footwear with heat to stop your shoes from rubbing your feet.
How to do it:
- Wear a pair of thick socks on your feet.
- Slide on your shoes.
- Using a hairdryer to heat the back of your shoes until they become slightly flexible.
- Try to move your feet by walking around. This will make the warmed material mold slightly to fit the shape of your heel better.
- Be careful not to burn or melt your shoe.
8. Insert Heel Cup
Inserting a heel cup in your shoe helps to create a boundary between the back of your feet and the shoes. This automatically stops the back of your feet from rubbing against the shoe.
Heel cups are made of rubber and they are affordable. They work to decrease the friction and pressure from your heel rubbing your shoe.
SEE: How Should Shoes Fit? This Will Help You Settle Into Your Shoes
9. Damp Newspaper
The damp newspaper helps to moisturize the leather of your shoe, thereby softening it.
How to do it:
- Splash some water on the sheets of newspaper until they are damp.
- Now roll them into ball shape and put them into your shoes.
- Allow them to dry.
10. Hit the Back Repeatedly With a Hammer
You can use a hammer to soften the back of your shoe. Simply hit the back of your shoe repeatedly with a small hammer. After you do that, apply a small amount of extra virgin olive oil on it and leave it to dry overnight.
SEE: Jojoba Oil’s Multi-Purpose Benefits and Uses for All Skin Types
What Happens When Shoes Rub the Back of Your Feet
There are several sources of discomfort that can happen and appear at the back of your feet when shoes constantly rub on them. They include:
- Friction blisters: this is the painful bubble-like sac that appears at the feet. This fluid-filled sac is one of the most common things that appear as a result of shoes rubbing the back of your feet and it can be so painful.
- Achilles Tendonitis: This is an inflammatory condition that happens due to shoes rubbing constantly against the back of the feet or heel.
- Achilles Tendonosis: This is a strain that happens on the Achilles tendon. It causes a bump to appear on the base of the heel or at the back of the heel. It happens when there is a tissue breakdown due to the constant rubbing of shoes on the back of your feet.
- Bursitis: This happens when the bursae become inflamed due to ill-fitting shoes and high heels. Bursae are sacs filled with fluid; that help to cushion the bones and tendons in the ankle.
SEE: Easy Remedies and Treatment to Help You Relieve Heel Pain
Frequently Asked Questions
What to put on the back of shoes to stop rubbing?
You can apply moleskin on your shoes to stop them from rubbing the back of your feet. Here is how to do it:
- Cut out a large enough moleskin to cover the area of the shoe you want to cover using a pair of scissors.
- Size the piece up on the back of the feet and use a pen to draw the area you wish to cover.
- Now cut it into the shape you have drawn.
- You can now stick the moleskin on a clean heel.
Why does your shoes rub the back of your feet?
There can be several reasons as to why your shoes rub the back of your leg, but the common causes of this are wearing uncomfortable shoes that don’t fit properly and leaving your shoelaces untied. This will cause your shoes to rub on your feet.
How do you soften the back of your shoes?
You can use a hammer to soften the back of your shoe. Simply hit the back of your shoe repeatedly with a small hammer. After you do that, apply a small amount of extra virgin olive oil on it and leave it to dry overnight.
You can also soften the back of your shoe by molding it with heat. Simply plug your hairdryer and point it at the back of your shoe. Be careful not to burn or melt your shoe.
Conclusion
Shoes rubbing the back of your feet cause the development of heel blisters and trust me when I tell you that heel blisters are no fun at all and the pain can stop you from doing your day-to-day activities. You probably already know this if you have experienced the discomfort before.
The best way to prevent these blisters from happening is to always ensure that you minimize or stop your shoes from rubbing the back of your feet. Also, make sure that you take care of your feet; by wearing shoes that fit and protecting your feet against shoe-rub.
Remember that the more you pay attention to them, the lower your risk of developing blisters that occur due to shoe rub.
Thanks for reading.
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