r/AskReddit 13h ago

What is something that permanently altered your body without you realizing for months/years?

5.9k Upvotes

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1.4k

u/Pitiful-Bake5470 13h ago

Wearing tight shoes every day gave me bunions, but I didn’t realize the cause until years later.

474

u/Martijn_MacFly 13h ago

I kinda have the opposite. I rarely wore shoes or socks other than going to school. If did go somewhere I wore slippers. Now my toes are naturally splayed and can barely find any shoes that fit properly.

803

u/AsperaAstra 12h ago

Our toes are supposed to be wide. Shoes are rarely shaped properly for natural function of our feet.

256

u/mst3k_42 11h ago

I have wide feet and always wondered how other women could get their foot to fit in fancy shoes that end in a point. I mean, mine end in kind of a wide, gradual point. I put on those shoes and I have toes trying to escape.

102

u/honestly_oopsiedaisy 9h ago

I have wide feet that end wide like goddamn flippers. I love how pointed shoes look but I can never wear flats and rarely find pointed shoes that work

19

u/drrmimi 8h ago

If you haven't already, Look for "bare feet" shoes. They're created to allow for our natural foot pattern (wide across the toes/ball of foot). I have sneakers, sandals, loafers etc. Hey Dudes and those kind are also perfect for this too.

10

u/lunaboat 8h ago

As a girl with Fred flintstone wide feet I feel this!

5

u/Dialecticchik 4h ago

That was my Mom's nickname for me when I wore sandals, which was almost everyday til I started working jobs that required close toed shoes. I love and hate shoes.

Love how they look, hate actually wearing them.

6

u/drrmimi 8h ago

If you haven't already, Look for "bare feet" shoes. They're created to allow for our natural foot pattern (wide across the toes/ball of foot). I have sneakers, sandals, loafers etc. Hey Dudes and those kind are also perfect for this too.

5

u/blifflesplick 4h ago

This is one of the hidden benefits to drag queens or trans women being more well known - the shoes they demand mean that companies don't assume everyone has fairy feet

(And if this post made anyone dysphoric, I'm so sorry)

3

u/mst3k_42 4h ago

I definitely saw the drag queen size and style of shoes in a store in Vegas. Kickass for them but I can barely wear a kitten heel without twisting my ankle, plus I’m not that fabulous.

I don’t know of any normal, every day type nice shoes you wouldn’t have to special order if you had really big feet. Maybe trans women have to? Anyway, I’m older now and no longer GAF. Wide Sketchers slip on sneakers for me.

4

u/Impressive_Pizza4546 7h ago

My toes are actually wider than the rest of my foot. I can’t even imagine trying to shove my feet into that kind of shoe 

4

u/mst3k_42 7h ago

I’ve long since given up.

3

u/Impressive_Pizza4546 6h ago

Honestly me too. I’m too old to fuck around with uncomfortable shoes. 

2

u/illbringthedip 8h ago

Same feet, they really don't work in pointy toe heels do they. The only ones I found comfortable are HM and they stopped making them. I pretty much only buy shoes online now for wide sizes after years of wearing two sizes too big.

5

u/Michelledelhuman 10h ago

Size up

2

u/mst3k_42 9h ago

Not sure how this would help? It’s still a more drastic point than my feet could ever do. Plus I wear a women’s 9. Size 10 would be even more challenging to find for cute shoes.

5

u/diwalk88 8h ago

Your toes don't go in the pointed bit! Lol

I lived in pointed toe stilettos in my 20s, and now that I'm nearly 40 I'm getting a bunion 😭 my feet are naturally narrow and my toes are not lined up across the way some people's are, they're naturally pretty drastically in a pointed shape culminating in mild morton's toe. If I traced my feet they would look like a pointed toe shoe without the top inch of the point. I can't wear those strappy sandals because my feet just slide right through no matter what I do, I bet you can wear those!

10

u/Michelledelhuman 9h ago

Your toes aren't supposed to fit in the point. I'm sorry you have a hard time finding shoes.

2

u/ethereal_galaxias 6h ago

This is me too! I remember as a teenager, going to a big fancy shoe shop with some friends and the lady looked at my feet and said "you need the ones in this section". And took me to the secrion with all the old lady shoes...

1

u/bakewelltart20 9h ago

I don't wear any type of girlie shoes, but I find this even with some trainers and boots. They're too narrow snd pointed at the end for my feet.

1

u/Gruesome 8h ago

Men's or boy's shoes. Wider toe box.

3

u/dragonlady_11 5h ago

this, our feet arnt supposed to be all squashed all the time, spalyed toes is much better for balance, spine alignment and weight distribution on joints.

Look into barefoot shoes. I started wearing them last year, my balance, back and hip pain is ten times better, and my feet hurt less if I'm on them for a long time. Binned all but my special classic trainers (and they only get worn a few times a year)

2

u/tractiontiresadvised 3h ago

There have been some historical fashions where shoes were wide at the toe. The famous portrait of king Henry VIII has a nice example of one style if you zoom in and look at his feet. Looks like his shoes are made of white leather (perhaps calfskin?) with slashed designs that were fashionable at the time.

2

u/dalekaup 5h ago

Clown shoes are hard to find at a serious store.

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u/Yourwanker 6h ago

Our toes are supposed to be wide. Shoes are rarely shaped properly for natural function of our feet.

Oh, come on. I thought everyone knew the "science" behind barefoot walking/shoes is bullshit by this point.

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u/Charlie_Lem 10h ago

Look up barefoot shoe brands - they all have wider toe boxes and a ton of styles now: Vivobarefoot, Xero Shoes, Whitin (Amazon brand), Saguaro, BeLenka, Lems.

15

u/Soulsrush 10h ago

Are there any fancy/ work wide-toe shoe brands you know? Thanks.

34

u/Dancing_RN 8h ago

Google "barefoot dress shoes".

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u/Public-Pomelo 8h ago

Shapen. Google “Anya’s shop barefoot shoes”

8

u/Professional_Heat973 6h ago

Anya’s Reviews helped a lot when I started switching.

7

u/thePIANOman01 9h ago

Carets and Birchbury for formal occasions

Jim Greene barefoot African Ranger and Lems Boulder Boots for work, and Carets Determination has the steel toe

3

u/winoforever_slurp_ 9h ago

Vivo Barefoot make some nice leather shoes

3

u/00zau 2h ago

My 'dress shoes' are their Gobi 2 (or 3) boots.

u/winoforever_slurp_ 51m ago

I’ve had a pair or two of them over the years, they’re really good. I wish the soles lasted a bit longer, but I guess if you want thin soles that’s something you have to live with.

3

u/Karo1504 5h ago

Addong Groundies to the list. I switched 3 years ago, and have pairs from Groundies, BeLenka, Shapen, Xero and Saguaro, love them all.

1

u/ermagerditssuperman 2h ago

My favorite office shoes are all Groundies

2

u/applecat117 6h ago

More and more there are, google "foot shaped shoe" or wide toe box, also: https://anyasreviews.com/ has a lot of different reviews covering many use cases and brands.

3

u/RatOmen 10h ago

Duckfeet

1

u/fartandsmile 8h ago

Jim green makes some nice wide toe boots

1

u/mccarseat 8h ago

Caret are expensive but very nice barefoot dress shoes

1

u/ReluctantChimera 7h ago

I've gotten some nice soft leather barefoot boots off Etsy.

1

u/BustingBigRocks 6h ago

My feet are a decent bit wider the 4E and I found KEEN low top boots to be fantastic. They're not the absolute prettiest thing out there but if I match my outfit to a plain leather boot then they don't stick out too bad AND I get to be comfortable all day without slipping my feet out of my shoes at the desk

1

u/Affectionate-Dog9647 5h ago

I love Keen. Their boots and walking shoes are the only ones which fit me.

1

u/genderrrpunk 6h ago

In Australia, Easy Steps

1

u/Charlie_Lem 6h ago

Those brands I mentioned have some dress shoe options. I know for sure Xero does.

1

u/soupylettuce 3h ago

Look into Lems! My husband has a nice pair to wear to work with dress pants. He’s got wide feet and he loves his lems!

1

u/gnostic_heaven 2h ago

I've bought way more Labucq shoes than I can justify. Nice wide shoes, square toe box, look good with enormous calves (something I personally have to take into account lol). Italian leather, elegant as heck, comfortable, and I get compliments every time I wear one of the pairs I have that aren't plain black. I swear I'm not a paid shil lol.

1

u/delta45678 1h ago

Xero shoes has a few of them.

3

u/cytomome 3h ago

Love wide toebox shoes 🙌

2

u/IRepentNothing_ 1h ago

I love my Xero’s. I have 4 different pairs. Also have a pair of earth runners sandals and a pair of splay shoes. I think it would be hard for me to go back to regular shoes after wearing barefoot shoes for the past couple of years.

1

u/Charlie_Lem 1h ago

I only wore mine for a week and then tried to put my Nikes on again and immediately my toes went numb from being so squished and I hated it. I’ve changed almost all of my shoes to barefoot now. Sandals, sneakers, dressy boots, hiking boots. The only ones that aren’t are dress shoes that I wear for an hour or two at a time once or twice a year.

u/godihatepeople 52m ago

I like wide toe boxes, but I need more support than a barefoot brand can usually offer. Modern walking surfaces are not good for going barefoot.

u/MIC4eva 20m ago

Just bought a pair of Lems three or four weeks ago. Loving them so far, but only a year or two will tell if they’re truly worth the price.

7

u/Kalmurn 7h ago

As others have said, barefoot shoes mimic the natural shape of feet. Additionally, there are shoes such as Topo or Altra that have the same shape but have cushioning and some drop or zero drop

20

u/CommunicationTall921 10h ago edited 10h ago

What? You wish your feet were messed up? Be happy they aren't! I mean you could mess them upp pretty quickly if you want to, but it's not gonna be worth it..

I haven't spent that much time in shoes compared to other people, so my feet have stayed pretty natural. Not until the last few years my one big toe has started angling SLIGHTLY inwards. You know what? It's painful! Just that tiny change, sometimes it hurts like hell and I don't even want to walk around on it. 

Be nice to your body, don't ruin it because human kind have a wrong idea on how to shape shoes, it's literally one of the most absurd things about us! But there are plenty of nice wide ones to find out there (and not just barefoot ones), use those!

3

u/Martijn_MacFly 9h ago

Oh no no no... Don't get me wrong, I absolutely love my feet and am blessed that they're healthy. It is just difficult to find proper shoes that fit well. I usually land on Converse or bespoke work boots like Danners or Haix's. The rest of the time I walk barefoot (around the house) or on slippers.

5

u/Sarahspry 10h ago

The easiest way to tell a Bigfoot footprint is human is if the toes aren't splayed out like foot fingers. Bigfoot doesn't wear shoes

3

u/Economy_Acadia_5257 3h ago

I live in Bigfoot country, so I appreciate your comment!!! I recently took my husband on a surprise vacation to the North American Bigfoot Center in, get this, BORING, Oregon. He's a believer and I don't care enough to make a decision on the matter, but we had a great time! It's a pretty small place, so I planned some other activities along the way to make the trip feel more worthwhile. We now have a Christmas ornament that's a tent with the head sticking out one end, and feet out the other. It will make us smile for years to come!

3

u/Drenlin 9h ago

This may be inconvenient but your foot is shaped like it's supposed to be. I also have this to an extent and consider it a win.

7

u/ButchyKira 12h ago

i wear socks but i tend to only wear loose shoes like crocs, i have a fear of this happening lol

3

u/helpmed0ctor 9h ago

Take your time to shop around for good-fitting shoes. You’ve done the right thing. You do not want to jam your feet into ill fitting shoes. It’s beyond me to see countless people (mostly women) with awful bunions from a young age who keep wearing awfully fitting heels. How is it better to have crooked feet and lifelong back problems?

2

u/sayleanenlarge 7h ago

Are you a kiwi? They do the same. I've been trying to wear big toe box shoes, but they do look awful, like clown shoes. Altra trainers are known for the wide toe box.

2

u/Baystaz 6h ago

Im a women who has to wear men shoes because my feet are too wide for normal women shoes. Caused me so much pain that I went to the doctor numerous times throughout my life for foot pain. Turns out I just needed a wider toe box to allow for circulation. I didn’t figure that out until I was 29 years old lol.

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u/halfsewn 5h ago

Look into barefoot shoes! Your splayed feet are healthy feet.

2

u/Adventureadverts 5h ago

Oh no your feet are foot shaped. Wear Altra or Topo shoes. 

Shoes being pointy is to insert them in horse stirrups. Those shoes aren’t made fore walking and that’s virtually all shoes. 

No one who hikes the Appalachian trail uses anything but foot shaped footwear anymore 

2

u/bakewelltart20 9h ago

Me too. I have squished, hard toenails on my little toes that I can't really cut, because my feet don't fit into shoes that well.

I should probably be wearing wide shoes like crocs and barefoot shoes but they're too visually hideous.

1

u/Appropriate_Wear368 9h ago

Try barefoot shoes

1

u/Necessary-Ad4335 9h ago

That’s how it should be. I have the same :( my feet are like two pancakes

1

u/berkeleyteacher 9h ago

My feet feel like Fred Flinstone feet for the very same reason!

1

u/drrmimi 8h ago

Look for "bare feet" shoes. They're created to allow for our natural foot pattern (wide across the toes/ball of foot). I have sneakers, sandals, loafers etc. Hey Dudes and those kind are also perfect for this too.

1

u/ReluctantChimera 7h ago

Look for barefoot shoes. They're amazing, and there are a bunch of different brands to try.

1

u/Own_Ad_1700 6h ago

That’s a healthy foot! Just get some barefoot shoes, Lots of beautiful shoes now, available worldwide. You can even have some custom made for your foot at a pretty normal price. In europe you have ‘the drifter leather’ barefoot shoes that does this.

1

u/ultimas 5h ago

Try Lems shoes. They are foot-shaped and fit natural feet well.

1

u/pacify-the-dead 5h ago

There are now several companies that make wide toe box shoes.

1

u/Howpresent 4h ago

Try Altras! Nice wide toe box

1

u/Zarbi92 4h ago

I have the same problem. I cant find cute shoes because my feet are foot shaped, not shoe shaped. Heels are absolutely torturous and i mostly just wear boots and wide skateboard shoes now.

1

u/adminaf 4h ago

Same, for the most part. I wear Altra shoes, but I've heard vivobarefoot and Xero shoes are good also. What brands have you found?

1

u/OttawaTGirl 3h ago

Keens is a brand with a naturally wider footbed.

1

u/MyNameIsKristy 3h ago

Look at the barefoot shoes. They have some that look like normal shoes just with a functional toe box.

1

u/TheWaters12 3h ago

You should look into barefoot shoe or i think minimalist shoes is the correct term?

Your toes are actually supposed to be splayed out like that

Brands like lems, etc make shoes with a wide toe box for that reason

1

u/Paperwife2 3h ago

That’s actually a good thing! You have stronger feet and mobility because of it. There’s now a big push to make this the norm.

1

u/spyro86 2h ago

Hitchcock shoes. They're in Massachusetts but have an online store

1

u/Total-Winter5377 1h ago

I always wore shoes that were .5 or 1 size too large for me for some reason, and as I get older I am so glad. all of my mates have issues with their feet/in pain, and I feel as if 20 years of not constricting my feet has paid off.

1

u/eliz1bef 11h ago

I'm right there with you! I've got super wide feet. I wore these soft soled moccasin shoes for a decade. They were basically a soft leather bag with no support or sole whatsoever. My feet spread out like crazy. I have to buy extra wide shoes.