Something's afoot — Ill-fitting shoes, obesity contribute to problems with your feet

"You can certainly wear the wrong type of shoes. Flip-flops offer no support and may cause pain. But some people wear great shoes and still have problems," he says.

Even when there's a genetic or injury-related basis to foot woes, shoes can play a role in how bad it gets, Anderson and Royall say.

They point to bunions, particularly common in winter when people are wearing closed shoes. Women who wear tight, tapered shoes find those tend to irritate bunions, bony protuberances on the side of the big toe.

While the primary causes of ingrown toenails are trimming the nails too deep at the side and heredity, moving from a tendency to actually having painful problems "usually starts from bad shoes," Anderson says.

Royall says the familial link is so strong with ingrown toenails that "If I see one child in a family, I see all 10. It can be aggravated by improper nail trimming, but you can do everything right and still have ingrown toenails." There's a simple, usually painless in-office procedure that removes or destroys part or all of the nail.

Royall treats many athletes with heel pain, usually associated with plantar fasciitis, caused by overactivity, improper training, bad shoes or shoes that don't match an individual's biomechanics. He says you don't have to be an athlete or wear spiked heels to suffer, either. It can be caused by the flattening out of the foot. But part of the treatment involves choosing the right shoes.

He says that ski boots and high heels and tight-in-the-forefoot shoes contribute to many of the neuromas he treats.

The American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons says poorly fitting or poor-quality shoes can exacerbate painful spurs, herniation of a tendon, all sorts of tendonitis, ganglion cysts, hammertoe deformities and other problems. It's a major contributor to "pump bump," so named because it's most often seen in young women who wear high heels a lot. The rigid back of the shoe presses on the heel. That bone enlargement can lead to Achilles tendonitis or bursitis, because the shoes create constant irritation, especially in those with high arches or tight Achilles tendons. Women who must wear high heels can get relief from placing heel lifts in shoes or wearing backless or soft-backed shoes.

Shoes alone can cause abnormal wear or friction. That doesn't count feet that flat out hurt because they're pinched or not well cushioned.

And foot problems are not the sole provence of adults. Kids can have major problems, although they're usually different. Lots of kids have inflammation in the growth plate, ingrown toenails, flat feet or feet that turn in. While adults suffer because of weight, pressure and overuse, many childhood foot problems are congenital.