Nurse Sarab here! If you had a foot care appointment with me, you know that one of the questions I will ask you is “What kind of footwear do you wear inside the house?”

Nurse Sarab here! If you had a foot care appointment with me, you know that one of the questions I will ask you is “What kind of footwear do you wear inside the house?”

Wearing supportive footwear isn’t just an outdoor thing. With the cold months ahead, we’re going to be staying indoors more often, and so it’s important to have our feet in appropriate footwear.

If you are still questioning why you should wear slippers, here are my top 5 reasons why wearing inside shoes is important!

1. Wearing appropriate footwear can help increase circulation to the lower limbs and the feet. When our body gets cold, the blood vessels in our extremities constrict to reduce heat loss, and allow a better blood supply to our internal organs (this is called vasoconstriction). Because our feet are the furthest body part from our heart, they’re already subject to poor circulation. Wearing indoor footwear allows the feet to stay warm and promote healthy blood circulation all the way to the toes!

2. There isn’t much arch support when we walk barefoot or when we just wear socks. If we have corns, calluses, bunions, hammer toes or even arthritis, having arch support is a must. Footwear offers support and cushioning that can reduce aches and pains, and not just to the feet. Poor arch support can lead to knee, hip and back pain as well.

3. Indoor footwear reduce the risks of infections. And not just from warts, bacterial or fungal infections. Studies have shown that cold feet can increase the risk of viral and respiratory infections. Let me explain: remember the fancy word vasoconstriction? Well, cold feet can lead to vasoconstriction to the nose leading to the blow flow being reduced in our nostrils. Less blood means that there are less white blood cells available in our nose to fight off infections, including respiratory viruses. Interesting enough, wearing slippers during the cold months can prevent you from getting the sniffles. Don’t you just love science? (Please note that wearing slippers is NOT an alternative to Vaccination. Thank you!)

4. Wearing indoor footwear and slippers protect your feet which can prevent injuries such as stubbing your little 5th toe in the corner of your living room table, or dropping that heaving piece of porcelain bowl on that chronic ingrown toenail. Or even stepping on glass! But most important of all, it can prevent slips and falls! Wooden floors and tiles can be slippery, so make sure that your pair of shoes has a good sole to give your stability when you’re on your feet.

5. Walking barefoot on hard surfaces can lead to foot pain, and alter the distribution of our body weight across our feet. On the other hand, wearing oversized slippers forces our toes to grip down when we walk which can cause hammer toes, and can create a lot of friction and pressure which can lead to calluses and corns. Both scenarios can also lead to foot and ankle strains as there is not a lot of stability provided to the feet when walking around.

Wonder if you’re wearing the right footwear indoors or outdoors? Looking for an ideal fit for your feet? We offer complimentary footwear assessments! Call us at 613-761-6060 to learn more!

This blog was written as general information and is not intent to self-diagnosis. Always talk to your primary health care provider for any questions or concerns regarding your medical health.