Is Your Extra Weight Affecting Your Feet?

It’s a fact that carrying additional weight is bad for your waistline and heart, but it’s also hard on your feet! Studies reveal that your risk for foot pain increases along with your BMI. And you don’t have to be excessively overweight to have problems – gaining just between five and ten pounds is enough to damage your feet. Today Dr. Joel Segalman, Dr. Stephen Lazaroff, and Dr. Brittany Ciaramello at Performance Foot & Ankle Specialists, LLC in New Haven County and Fairfield County share information on how your feet are affected by your weight. 

Foot Conditions Connected to Weight Gain

Extra pounds can flatten your arches, which puts more pressure on your feet and changes the way you walk.

Weight gain can also elevate your risk for hammertoes and bunions. With bunions, additional weight can make your feet roll inward, making your significant toe-shift toward your second toe, causing bunions to develop. 

Weight gain also causes your toes to bend and buckle at their middle joints, causing hammertoes. Wearing improper footwear can also increase your risk of getting a hammertoe. And, as mentioned, being overweight can flatten your arches, so hammertoes and weight gain often go together.

In addition, gaining weight can trigger pain on the heel or the ball of the foot. Many patients also get tendonitis, and they’re at higher risk for ankle sprains or foot fractures. Plus, extra weight can put pressure on your foot and ankle joints in the long term, which means your risk for arthritis of the foot may be higher down the road.

Treating Weight-Related Foot Issues

While you’re concentrating on your weight, we can help reduce foot pain with specific treatments or devices such as custom orthotics, supportive shoes, anti-inflammatory medication, or physical therapy.

When you’re worried about your weight affecting your feet, it’s essential to regularly see your podiatrist. Contact the office of Dr. Joel Segalman, Dr. Stephen Lazaroff, and Dr. Brittany Ciaramello at Performance Foot & Ankle Specialists, LLC in New Haven County and Fairfield County to schedule an appointment. You can reach our Waterbury office at (203) 755-0489 or our Newtown office at (203) 270-6724.