Extended-Size Shoes Will Soon Be The New Normal...Get With The Winning Team.
I've noticed a significant incline in foot growth in the last five years. Unfortunately, there will be a community of extended-size shoe addicts with a limited supply of footwear options. This is based on buyers not having enough insight to invest department monies into an newly developing market.
Sue Orischak, Owner of Foot Solutions in Scottsdale, AZ.
Fortunately, I met the Owner of Foot Solutions Sue Orischak, she is a certified Pedorthist. According to Pedorthic Footcare Association, "A pedorthist is a professional who has specialized training to modify footwear and employ supportive devices to address conditions which affect the feet and lower limbs." Furthermore, Sue candidly answered a few questions in lieu of footwear growth in the past few years. Additionally, Sue expressed she's noticed a growth spurt in length of the foot, rather than width. Check out the interview below:
Why do you think the trend of foot growth has been longer in length instead of wider in width?
We continue to see feet that are either longer and usually narrower or med length and wider. Our most common size is a Women’s size 9. The younger the woman, the longer the feet tend to be.
How long have you noticed a growth spurt in feet
This has been gradual trend for the past 12 or so years.
Do your feet continue to grow as you get older, like your ears and nose?
The foot does not technically grow but gravity works (so does pregnancy) and when the arch relaxes the foot automatically gets longer. May people notice more pressure on the outside of their feet by the “baby” toe and assume the foot is wider. What is actually happening is that the foot starts abducting (splaying outward) which puts pressure on the outside of the shoe.
Have you noticed a correlation in height? Does this dictate your foot size?
Usually the taller the individual is the longer the foot but there are always the “exceptions to the rule” Most peoples’ hands and feet are proportionate to their size. If a person is overweight or obese, the weight will increase both the length and width of the feet.
If it's genetic, is this based on the parents foot size? For example, if Dad has a size 13 foot and Mom has a size 8, will the child have large feet too?
Mom’s size 8 is now considered a medium size so I would say their height will be the dominant contributing factor.
Are you seeing longer feet more in women or men?
I see no difference between the women’s or men’s feet sizes becoming overall longer.
Does the size of a foot change if you are living in a region where people drive versus walking/public transportation?
I don’t think so.
What factors can cause a foot growth spurt in a woman?
Most women reach their adult size when they reach 12 to 13 years of age. They will see their feet get longer when they are in their third trimester of pregnancy when the hormone Relaxin kicks in to relax the pelvic ligaments and also relax the ligaments of the feet which are carrying 90 to 120 extra pounds of body weight per square inch which stretches the softened ligaments.
When a woman gets pregnant does her feet grow? If so, on average how much do they grow (an inch)?
Most average a half size per pregnancy. A half size in a shoe is approximately 1/6th of an inch and a full size is only 1/3 of an inch.
After pregnancy, does it go back to it's original size or does it stay the same?
Most of the time the foot will never go all the way back to the pre-pregnancy size due to the ligaments stretching.
Any tips to keeping our feet happy and healthy?
Have your feet measured at least once a year. Replace athletic shoes after 4-6 hundred miles or 4-6 months. Supporting the arch of the foot will keep feet more balances and off-load pressures where the foot callouses.
Conclusively, foot growth is on the incline. Brands, designers, buyers and suppliers should consider extended-sizes because at some point it will be normalized as feet expand. All in all, some of the factors like pregnancy and arch support are common and a person can see foot growth over time.
Shonchelle Shereé does not own the rights to any of the media