Why Your Shoe Size Might Change as You Age
Feet can widen, flatten, and lengthen over time due to changes in collagen, ligaments, and the emergence of foot deformities.
Your shoe size may feel like it's changing as you get older, and you're not alone. While adult feet don't continue to grow in the same way they do during childhood, their shape can gradually alter, leading to them becoming wider, flatter, and slightly longer. This can result in shoes that once fit comfortably now feeling too tight.
Causes of Foot Changes
The primary reason for these changes is the flattening and spreading of the foot's arch over time. This is often linked to a natural decrease in collagen, a protein essential for the strength and elasticity of skin, muscles, bones, tendons, and ligaments. As collagen levels decline with age, the ligaments supporting the arches can become lax. When the arch falls, the foot widens and lengthens.
Foot deformities, such as bunions and hammertoes, also become more prevalent with age and can contribute to changes in foot shape and size. A bunion is a misalignment where the big toe moves toward the other toes, creating a bump on the joint and making the forefoot wider. Hammertoes occur when weakened toe tissues cause muscles and tendons to buckle and curve. These conditions can be genetic or exacerbated by wearing tight, narrow shoes over a lifetime.
Arthritis, particularly in the big-toe joint, can also affect foot shape. It may lead to bone spurs that can rub against shoes, making them feel too tight.
Timing and Risk Factors
Individuals may start noticing changes in their feet in their 30s, though there is no definitive age for these alterations. Age-related foot changes are generally more common in women, potentially due to hormonal fluctuations during pregnancy and menopause impacting collagen, as well as the long-term effects of wearing high heels or ill-fitting shoes. People with a history of foot injuries, existing flat feet or bunions (or a family history of these conditions), and those who are overweight are at a higher risk.
Being overweight places increased pressure and stress on the feet, which can contribute to changes in the foot's supporting structures and overall biomechanics over time.
Extent of Foot Size Changes
The changes in foot size happen gradually and can affect length, width, and arch height. A 2016 study examining foot measurements of women aged 20 to over 80 found that the width of the balls of the feet increased by 3 to 4 millimeters per decade, while other measurements also showed increases. While these changes may seem small, they accumulate over decades and can significantly impact shoe fit, sometimes requiring a wider shoe or a half size larger.
When to Seek Medical Advice
If you experience pain, swelling, numbness, tingling, or difficulty walking due to changes in your foot size or shape, it is advisable to consult a doctor. Recurrent calluses, blisters, skin breakdown, or worsening bunions, hammertoes, or flatfoot also warrant medical attention. Sudden changes, especially if they affect only one foot, should be checked promptly.
Individuals with diabetes, neuropathy, or circulation problems should pay close attention to their foot health, as minor shoe fit issues can lead to more serious complications.
Protecting Your Feet
While age-related foot changes cannot always be prevented, proactive steps can help maintain foot health. Wearing well-fitting shoes is paramount. Avoid footwear with narrow toe boxes that compress toes and limit the use of high heels, which can stress the front of the foot. Shoes should offer good support and have a wider toe box. It is beneficial to have your feet measured periodically, including width.
Maintaining a healthy weight can reduce unnecessary stress on foot structures. Regular physical activity, particularly low-impact weight-bearing exercises, can strengthen feet and ankles, improve balance, and prevent falls. Foot exercises, such as standing on one foot or performing toe scrunches, can also be beneficial.
Addressing foot problems like bunions or flattening feet early can help prevent them from becoming painful or functionally limiting, accommodating the new foot shape effectively.