above: hammer, healthy toes, corn
Humans first began wearing footwear as protection, but as time went on, shoes became less about or function and more about fashion.
Women of higher social status in medieval China were binding their feet to deliberately stunt their foot growth in hopes of smaller, delicate feet. The trend continued and traveled to 12th-century Europe, where a popular shoe style called the Pouline—a super narrow leather shoe with a pointed toe—was worn by higher society as a symbol of their status.
Now, we have this stylistic hangover from the middle ages where a narrow shoe with a narrow toe box has become a symbol of fashion. Dr. Elizabeth Cody, orthopedic surgeon at Hospital of Special Surgery specializing in the foot and ankle, explains that while people think a narrower toe box is more attractive, people with wider feet find narrow shoes extremely uncomfortable. “A narrower toe box is considered more attractive in fashion shoe wear because they were basically designed for young people who have narrower feet,” she says. “As people age, their feet get wider.”
The narrow toe box is not a narrow problem. In fact, it’s been studied that 63 to 72% of people are wearing shoes that do not accommodate the dimensions of their feet. Hence the rise in ailments and foot deformities Dr. Cody is seeing in her patients, including bunions, hammer toes, claw toes, corns and more.
Much like a weak or deformed foundation can cause instability in a building, a weak or deformed foot can cause issues that go far beyond the foot— into the ankles, lower limbs, and higher up in the body. “If your toes are uncomfortable in a shoe, you may walk abnormally and that can lead to problems in higher up joints like the knees and even your back,” says Dr. Cody.
Thankfully, there’s a small but mighty shift towards wide toe-box footwear. One that started primarily in athletic footwear and is making its transition to fashion footwear. This style of shoe allows your foot to function more normally, preventing the crowding of toes that lead to other problems. Plus, they are more comfortable overall.
Some popular brands making a splash in the wide toe-box space are Flux Footwear, Vivobarefoot, and Altra Running. Well-known brands like Crocs and Birkenstocks also allow the toes to splay in their natural position.
However, Cody warns that the transition to wide toe-box footwear should be gradual while your feet get time to grow strong in those newer albeit natural positions. This is particularly important for runners transitioning to wider running shoes.
As humans in the modern world, we cannot go walking around barefoot. But we can wear better shoes that support the natural function of our feet to counteract and prevent any further damage and pain to our body. The trend toward wide toe-box shoes is our step toward that.
Kasandra Barton creates detailed skulls, plants and insects drawings inspired by vintage medical illustrations, using a cross-hatch style. Her work includes bone and flora articulation. She lives in Norwalk and is available for commissions. kassiebarton97@gmail.com