So as many people are aware but don’t actively think about, I’m going to give you a small reminder of a fact you probably learned in high school.
You have a lot of moving parts in your feet which offers a lot of opportunities to mess them up long-term.
Now, why do you think I care? Well as those who know me know, my feet have been a source of excruciating pain and suffering for the last 15+ years of my life. But in living through this, I’ve also learned ways to continue to function and protect myself from further damage.
Two factors to achieve this:
Good protective shoes.
Not just “steel toe” but to the furthest extent because why should you stop there:
- Steel toe
- Metatarsal protecting
- most people skip this, I do highly recommend this as my pain-triggering injury would not have been protected by just steel-toed shoes
- Electroshock
- Slip-resistant
And while there are not a lot of options for women, they do exist. A couple of great resources for both genders and the non-binary folk are Reebok, Hytest, & a good old Google search.
But the second key factor that helps them all (your feet and shoes) work together is your socks.
And while no I’m not getting paid for this, I am perfectly ok with that. Because this product gave me my life back.
I fell across Heat Holders socks in the desire to work in extremely cold, I am talking where it gets to -40 degrees F/C (yes, they are on and the same) wind chill. Over time, I have also tested them in extreme heat as well based on their design (they pull sweat away from the skin to keep the body from freezing/overheating), and my god they are versatile.
That being said, not only is their product sound, but their business model is fantastic and their approach to giving back is phenomenal.
Ultimately, these socks are “thick” so you will never want to wear “appropriately sized” shoes with them. But if you choose to get boots/shoes that help protect you, I highly recommend going up a half size to accommodate these socks. The cushion, comfort, and safety are the trifectas of long-term solid self-care.
May this guidance benefit you as it has me.
