Many people have been working from home since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has led to increased time spent indoors, resulting in many walking around barefoot all day. Dr. Priya Parthasarathy, a podiatrist with Foot and Ankle Specialists in Silver Spring, Maryland, told *Time* magazine that there has been a "significant increase" in the number of people experiencing foot pain in recent years, partially due to walking barefoot at home.
However, there is a simple way to avoid aches, strain, and even stress fractures (small cracks in the bones), which is to wear shoes indoors. Dr. Parthasarathy emphasized, “This can make a big difference.” Dr. Jackie Sutera, a podiatrist in New York City, noted that people often don’t realize how much time they spend walking barefoot on hard floors while at home. Since hard flooring offers no support or shock absorption, the impact goes straight to the fat pad of the foot, which is the thin layer of fat located under the ball of the foot and heel.
Repeated pressure on the foot for weeks and months can lead to inflammation and eventually greater issues, such as plantar fasciitis or Achilles tendonitis (inflammation of the Achilles tendon). Parthasarathy added that these inflammations can travel upwards, causing pain in the knees, hips, and back. In reality, hard floors are not the only culprit. Walking barefoot also increases the chances of tripping over objects, bumping into furniture, or stubbing your toes, and wearing shoes provides greater stability compared to being barefoot or wearing just socks.
Parthasarathy advises those who use standing desks or end up standing throughout the day and stressing their feet to use an anti-fatigue mat along with athletic shoes. Shoes offer comfort, support, and protection, relieving pressure from important tendons and ligaments. However, not all types of shoes are effective. Ideally, shoes should have a wide toe box and provide at least some degree of arch support. If you tend to wear slippers indoors, that’s fine, but make sure they are not designed just to keep your feet warm, as this type usually does not provide meaningful support. Therefore, it is important to choose slippers that offer arch support.
To avoid germ-related issues, it would be beneficial to have shoes specifically for indoor use and to adopt a different pair for outdoor activities.
