Most people think of island life as easy on the body. Feet are a bit of an exception. A lot of what I see in clinic in Grand Cayman comes down to a few simple things.
Flip-flops all day
Flip-flops are fine for the beach, but they give your foot almost no support. Your toes grip to keep them on, and over time that can make bent toes worse and leave the ball of the foot sore. If you live in them, it’s worth having a supportive sandal for longer walks.
Bunions don’t like closed shoes
Plenty of people get by in sandals for years, then find their bunion really hurts the moment they need to wear work shoes, trainers or heels. Swelling in the heat doesn’t help. If a bunion is stopping you wearing the shoes you need, that’s a good time to get it looked at.
Corns on bent toes
Hammer and claw toes rub on the top of the shoe and form hard, painful corns. Filing them helps for a while, but they come back because the toe is still bent. Straightening the toe deals with the cause.
When to get it checked
- Pain that’s there most days, not just after a long walk
- A bunion or bent toe that’s getting worse
- Struggling to find shoes that fit
- Corns that keep coming back
You don’t need to put up with it, and you don’t need to fly off-island to get it sorted. Book a consultation at NovoClinic.
