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Valued Contributor
Posts: 622
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

ARRGGHHH! Just call me Big Foot!

'Scuse me while I rant just a little!

 

I finallly tucked my sandals away and got out my flats and low closed-toe heels.  And guess what.  They. Don't. Fit.

 

Somehow, between last winter and right now, I have gained another half shoe size.  And that means that some very cute shoes with very little wear on them can no longer be worn. Not by me, anyway.

 

So, I did some research and found out how a 65-year-old woman could possibly grow out of her shoes, when she's worn the same size for decades.  Turns out that although our feet don't actually grow (the bone ends fuse sometime in late adolescence) what does happen is that the ligaments holding the bones together loosen, and everything just sort of spreads out.  Shudder.

 

No doubt many of you already know all about this, but it sure came as a shock to me!  Never mind,feel free to enjoy a good laugh at my expense.  Just ignore the broken sobbing from my corner. I'll live. Sniff.

 

 

"Behold! We are not bound forever to the circles of the world, and beyond them is more than memory." J.R.R. Tolkien
Honored Contributor
Posts: 18,767
Registered: ‎03-13-2010

Re: ARRGGHHH! Just call me Big Foot!

My winter shoes always "feel" tight after wearing sandals all summer.......but after a couple wearings, I get used to closed shoes again.    Maybe you could give it a try for a couple days.................

♥Surface of the Sun♥
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Posts: 622
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Re: ARRGGHHH! Just call me Big Foot!


@Desertdi wrote:

My winter shoes always "feel" tight after wearing sandals all summer.......but after a couple wearings, I get used to closed shoes again.    Maybe you could give it a try for a couple days.................


 

Oh, believe me, @Desertdi, I was devoutly hoping that would be the case, so I tried wearing each pair to work for a day.  Agony, pure and simple - and I for one can't even think straight if my feet hurt.

 

There is one pair I might try stretching, since they're mostly fabric and not leather.  I did a quick scan around the stores yesterday and practically no one is showing flats in a dark chocolate brown, so if I could salvage this pair, I'd be a happy camper!  They are my favorite pair, and almost new, darn it.

"Behold! We are not bound forever to the circles of the world, and beyond them is more than memory." J.R.R. Tolkien
Trusted Contributor
Posts: 1,033
Registered: ‎03-11-2010

Re: ARRGGHHH! Just call me Big Foot!

You scare me because I am sitting here watching the snow accumulate while wearing my Birkenstock sandals. If I want to leave my house before April, I will nee to haul out the winter shoes. I hope my feet have not grown. 

 

If your tendons have stretched, most likely, you have a flatter arch, now. Would arch supports lift your foot and make them fit in the shoes, again?

Respected Contributor
Posts: 3,812
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Re: ARRGGHHH! Just call me Big Foot!

@sharlee

 

i really feel your pain, but in all honesty, have never heard of such a thing.  is this what i have to look forward to?  does it happen to everyone?

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Posts: 4,833
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Re: ARRGGHHH! Just call me Big Foot!

[ Edited ]

I recently had the same sad experience.  All my shoes are a 7M, and that size has been my go to for 40 or so years.  However, this past year I have been wearing Sketchers, which I love (especially the soft insoles) and my ancient feet have grown quite happy in them, and just plain grown longer & wider.. Now I'm a very accurate 71/2M and almost pushing to a wide width. What to do?  I'm working with some stretchers right now but I don't think they are going to do the job. Too bad QVC doesn't offer some foot shrinkers.

 

BTW, to Debcakes,  I tried the arch support and it didn't work.

 

And to Sharlee, I was in Belk yesterday and saw a really cute (plain) darker brown flat. Don't remember the brand, but check their website. Big sale today on most things. Maybe you can find them. Good luck.

Honored Contributor
Posts: 18,767
Registered: ‎03-13-2010

Re: ARRGGHHH! Just call me Big Foot!


@sharlee wrote:

@Desertdi wrote:

My winter shoes always "feel" tight after wearing sandals all summer.......but after a couple wearings, I get used to closed shoes again.    Maybe you could give it a try for a couple days.................


 

Oh, believe me, @Desertdi, I was devoutly hoping that would be the case, so I tried wearing each pair to work for a day.  Agony, pure and simple - and I for one can't even think straight if my feet hurt.

 

There is one pair I might try stretching, since they're mostly fabric and not leather.  I did a quick scan around the stores yesterday and practically no one is showing flats in a dark chocolate brown, so if I could salvage this pair, I'd be a happy camper!  They are my favorite pair, and almost new, darn it.


@sharlee.......Good luck on your shoe shopping.     I have a hard time finding shoes, too............sometimes I just buy a pair for the only reason that "they fit".

♥Surface of the Sun♥
Valued Contributor
Posts: 622
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Re: ARRGGHHH! Just call me Big Foot!

Goodness, @ladyroxanne, we're all so different.  There's such an immense variety of responses and conditions in the human body; I'd never say it happens to everybody, but apparently it's common enough to be a well-documented occurrence.  I'll cross my fingers for you; maybe you'll luck out!

"Behold! We are not bound forever to the circles of the world, and beyond them is more than memory." J.R.R. Tolkien
Valued Contributor
Posts: 622
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Re: ARRGGHHH! Just call me Big Foot!


@debcakes wrote:

You scare me because I am sitting here watching the snow accumulate while wearing my Birkenstock sandals. If I want to leave my house before April, I will nee to haul out the winter shoes. I hope my feet have not grown. 

 

If your tendons have stretched, most likely, you have a flatter arch, now. Would arch supports lift your foot and make them fit in the shoes, again?


 

A very good suggestion, and it sounds like it ought to work, doesn't it,  when you think about all the Orthoheel demo's, and how a half size can size down to the nearest whole size because of the arch support.  I actually have the Vionic/Orthoheel inserts, but alas, they were not the anwer this time. In fact, it made the shoes tighter, if anything.

"Behold! We are not bound forever to the circles of the world, and beyond them is more than memory." J.R.R. Tolkien
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Posts: 3,812
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Re: ARRGGHHH! Just call me Big Foot!

@sharlee

 

thank you for your kind wishes and i hope you are able to somehow find a way to be able to wear your shoes.  i think there must be some way.  goodluck to you!