Is it OK to go barefoot in the house all day?

Thursday June 4, 2020 / Foot Doctor Blog

Many people are now staying at home all day due to the corona virus lock down and this means dressing casually, including going barefoot or only wearing socks. While a healthy person can go barefoot for limited periods , people who are older, or have underlying health issues such as diabetes, autoimmune disease, poor circulation, arthritis or neuropathy should always wear supportive cushioned shoes or slippers. Younger people not wearing shoes or their orthotics in the house have been reporting discomfort and pain in their feet.

Prolonged standing on hard surfaces without shoes can cause many injuries including plantar fasciitis or heel pain, tendinitis, stress fractures and pressure wounds. This is because well made shoes provide support to the structure of the arch, and the tendons and ligaments that attach to it. Unsupported feet are also prone to deterioration of the metatarsal fat pad cushion across the balls of the feet, leading to chronic foot pain.

In addition, it’s very important to wear appropriate shoes when exercising in the house to prevent injuries. If you develop any foot pain while sheltering in place, and it doesn’t respond to rest and wearing proper shoes within 1 week, call your foot and ankle specialist to have it checked out. You could be preventing a bigger problem down the road.

If you wear orthotics normally it is  important to continue to wear them no matter inside or outside the house, the feet do not differentiate weight bearing, walking, standing , etc.

Dr. Barbara Kaiser works in our Charlotte, NC (South Charlotte) office for your convenience.

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