The future of high heels looks wobbly-at least for now. Some women who ditched their high-heeled shoes during the pandemic have no plans to go back. Others are dipping their toes in slowly. Podiatrists have been advising those patients who want to return to high heels to take baby steps, starting with lower styles, then graduating…

“Podiatrists see a wide range of foot and lower-limb concerns,” explains Daniel Michaels, DPM. “If you suffer from problems with your toes, such as corns or ingrown toenails, then avoid a narrow toe box,” Michaels says.    “Yes, your toes really will slide forward into the pointy parts of your shoes! Even slight compression can cause problems,…

While you may want to tone your abs, glutes, and triceps in the new year, there’s one often-overlooked area of the body that deserves your attention too: your feet! “A lot of people hit the gym or dust off their home exercise equipment in January,” says Dan Michaels, DPM. “But without proper precautions, a new…

According to Dan Michaels, DPM, a board-certified podiatric surgeon, only a small percentage of the population is born with foot problems. Most often, it’s neglect or a lack of proper foot care – including ill-fitting shoes – that causes the problems. “Shopping for shoes is best done in the afternoon. Your feet tend to swell…

Dan Michaels, DPM says seniors are prone to foot injuries, and weight gain is often a contributing factor. Injuries are largely due to wear and tear over years of walking, running, and constant pressure on the feet. Every step exerts four times your body weight of pressure on your ankle. The more extra weight you…

It’s sandal season, but before you reach for your usual flats or flip-flops, know this: Wedge sandals are actually healthier for your feet. Unlike flat sandals, wedges offer more evenly distributed pressure throughout the foot, says Daniel Michaels, DPM, a board-certified podiatrist at UTMB Health Internal Medicine in Houston. They also provide better arch support,…

Dan Michaels, DPM said the most common question he gets is what shoes he recommends. He said many of the top-selling athletic shoes do not offer the best support.    “One thing you should look for is that the shoes bend at the toes,” Dr. Michaels said. “If you can bend a shoe in half…

“Seniors often think they’re doing themselves a favor by wearing slippers, but slippers are basically the same as walking barefoot,” says podiatric surgeon Dan Michaels, DPM.   “Podiatrists across the country have been seeing a ton more heel pain during the coronavirus pandemic because people have been home and walking around the house in slippers…

  One of the worst shoe mistakes people make that hurt their feet is wearing the same workout shoes for all different types of exercise. “I appreciate the functional purpose for a shoe that’s built for basketball as being very distinct from a sprinting shoe or a weightlifting shoe,” says podiatrist Daniel Michaels, DPM. “Someone who…

MD Podiatrist   “Wear patterns alert us to certain patterns of gait and tell us what position certain joints are in when you are coming into contact with the ground, as well as when you are pushing off,” explains Dan Michaels, DPM. As you walk or run, the friction and pressure between the sole of…