One of the most common household rules is to take your shoes off while you’re at home. There are plenty of reasons for this common household practice. Most of us already know how good it feels to come home and kick our shoes off after wearing them for prolonged periods. Whether you’ve just got home from a tiring workout or a long day of work, taking off your shoes is arguably one of the most fantastic forms of relief you can feel. Apart from just being relieved, many of us don’t want to track dirt over our clean floors or carpets after being outside. By wearing outdoor shoes indoors, you’re inviting all sorts of germs and harmful bacteria...ick! Wearing shoes indoors can be good for you, and in this article, we’re going to tell you why and how to do it properly.
Why should you wear shoes indoors?
It is proven that wearing shoes inside your house is comfortable and can also be healthy for you. To properly understand the benefits of wearing shoes indoors, we need first to understand the way our feet work.
When we walk barefooted, our feet pronate (our soles turning downwards or inwards) for a longer time, altering the biomechanics and distribution of weight and pressure across our feet. This imbalance may lead to painful conditions associated with excessive pronation, such as arch/heel pain or shin splints. This imbalance can then move upwards and affect other parts of your body. Wearing shoes can help eliminate this imbalance in your feet and allow you always to be comfortable.
Also, walking barefoot on hard surfaces like hardwood floor, stone or tile for extended amounts of time can be detrimental to your feet. Your foot isn’t built to endure all that stress, but when you do subject your foot to tremendous amounts of stress, you also strain other parts of your body, such as your knees and back. In fact, wearing the right shoes indoors can provide serious amounts of relief for people suffering from back problems, plantar fasciitis (an inflammation of a thick band of tissue that connects the heel bone to the toes) and even chronic conditions like diabetes.
Along with the health benefits of wearing shoes at home, they also provide you with protection from any injuries or accidents that you wouldn’t get from being barefooted.
Tips for wearings shoes at home
We’ve been through why you should wear shoes in the house, but picking out a pair of indoor shoes isn’t always clear cut. That’s why we’ve put together some tips that will not only help you pick out the perfect indoor shoe.
A shoe that supports you: It’s essential that you pick a shoe with a firm sole that provides structure and support for your feet. A firm sole not only supports your foot but also absorbs shock, and this, coupled with the additional support, can help alleviate any heel or arch pain that you have. Picking a shoe with a firm sole also provides you with traction that helps prevent slipping. Keep in mind that the shoe you choose needs to be a good mix of supportive and comfortable while also highly durable.
Shoes with breathable fabric: Sometimes, our feet get sweaty, and we want to avoid this when we are wearing shoes not only at home but in general. Bacteria and fungus not only grow but thrive in moist environments. That’s why you need to make sure you’re picking a pair of shoes made out of breathable fabric that allows your feet to be sweat-free, thus making sure you have no bacteria or fungus growing in your shoes.
Indoors means indoors: When you’re investing in a pair of indoor shoes, make sure those shoes are only used indoors. You shouldn’t use your indoor shoes as outdoor shoes because you want the soles to stay clean and not rack dirt inside your house.
Check how your shoe smells: Just like the rest of our bodies, the skin cells on our feet die, and the dead skin then falls off. This dead skin can accumulate and grow into a fungus that’ll cause your shoes to smell. Regularly clean your shoes and give sufficient time to air out every time you wear them.
Change your shoes: You don’t have to have more than one pair of indoor shoes as long as you take care of that pair of shoes. If your shoes start to smell or look worn out, that means it might be time to get a new pair. We like to have two pairs that we swap between depending on our outfit or mood.
If you’re like many, you’ve spent a lot of time indoors over the past year. If you’ve been taking your shoes off at home, you may have not known about all the benefits of having a pair of indoor shoes, but now you have a reason to! If you want to take care of your feet and make sure they’re both comfortable and healthy, investing in some indoor shoes is a great idea. Follow our tips and pick a shoe that’s perfect for you and enjoy having happy and healthy feet! And if you’re looking for our favorites, try Dooeys house shoes for women. Our house loafers and house mules are easy to slip on, provide arch support, and have durable, sneaker-like soles for all-day comfort at home.