# have your feet gotten bigger?



## jimPacNW (Feb 26, 2013)

I've been dealing with some toe discomfort, especially my little toe on my left foot for a bit now, I thought it was from getting stubbed while riding, then the sock keeps rubbing it and aggravating it. I just considered that maybe I simply need to go up a half size, as I'm starting to feel similar on my other foot. From a quick google search, apparently needing to go up a half size with age is pretty common. Anyone experienced this?


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## ltphoto (Sep 11, 2014)

Yep. I've gone up a full size over time (61 yo now).


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## veloborealis (Oct 25, 2009)

61, also. From size 11 to 12. At the same time I shrunk from 6'2" to 6'1and hair migrated from my head to ears and back. Aging is weird. God's practical joke on our sense of self importance.


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## rideit (Jan 22, 2004)

Yes, full size, I am 51.
I don't think anything else grew, though!


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## Legbacon (Jan 20, 2004)

Yes, and the doctor told me that my arches had fallen a bit causing my foot to stretch 1/2 a size. Thought I was going crazy.


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## Lone Rager (Dec 13, 2013)

Yes, after hitting 60. I tossed a bunch of shoes I could no longer wear. According to what I've read, ligaments stretch making the foot longer and wider.


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## LargeMan (May 20, 2017)

Yes, a full size, weird thing is I have gained a inch in height too.


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## NYrr496 (Sep 10, 2008)

Yep. I was a size 13 forever. About five years ago my shoes started hurting. I checked and for sure, now I'm a 14. 

Also, a couple years ago I started doing a killer yoga/ kickboxing class and my back got strong and straight and I got taller, like back to my original height.


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## MozFat (Dec 16, 2016)

Another one, a full size at 53.


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## telemike (Jun 20, 2011)

Yes. Feet arch along the foot and across the foot and both arches fall with age. My feet have gone from 9 in my teens to 10 1/2 at 70. Equally important (or bad), my feet have gotten much wider as the transverse arch has fallen so I now need a EEEE width. Try to find wide shoes for biking.

I use Shimano M-089 shoes exclusively because they are one of the few shoes that come in a wider width. Even they are only an EE width and can hurt my feet after time. Because of other problems, I cannot use flat pedals with any success so I'm kind of stuck with the M-089s which are mediocre mountain bike shoes at best.

I made a wedging mold of my feet to stretch ski boots. I stretch them myself because no shop will stretch telemark boots due to the bellows at the front of the foot. Nothing gets the blood flowing like using a high heat gun on $700 ski boots. An infrared thermometer helps keep the temp around 210 to 220 to avoid ruining the boots.

I use Lake 303s with the fat bike and on really cold days. They do come in widths and the 10 1/2 wide seems to work well. If only someone stocked Lakes so I could actually try them on before buying.


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## Len Baird (Aug 1, 2017)

My feet have gone from size 9.5 or 10 when I was young to a 12 extra wide. I have a condition which causes excess growth hormone and I assumed that was it- and some of it is- didn't realize others feet grew too.


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## quite.right (Sep 29, 2016)

Me too. One size. 
It's not only the age causing the arches falling down. Its also because the most time we sit on desk, sofa or on bike. On bike even with shoes witch have stiff soles. According to it's internal priority list the body decides which muscles will decrease in size when not used ("use it or loose it"). 
Another issue is that most of the exercises on bike are endurance exercises that can cause a catabolic state. This points to the internal priority list too.
I did a lot of long distance runnings and my feet got flat. So i have a look now on my protein consumption and do some exercises for the feet (calve raises, walking barefoot...) to maintain the tension in the arches.


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## Surfdog93 (May 30, 2005)

Summer-heat swells my feet, and my "cool-weather shoes" feel tight. I end up with hot-toe which doesn't go away until I take the shoes off. So I use 1/2 - size larger during the summer.


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## jimPacNW (Feb 26, 2013)

I searched and finally found wide cycling shoes, none of the shops near me carry wide in my size, so I had to go online. Lake has quite a few in Wide, Sidi has a bunch of options in Mega (wide) too. For regular street shoes in wide I had the best luck at the Sketchers outlet.


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## RustyIron (Apr 14, 2008)

Q. You know what they say about mountain bike riders with big feet?

A. Sometimes their heels hit the chainstays.


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## bachman1961 (Oct 9, 2013)

Funny timing on this subject.
Today I went shoe shopping for new tennies and first time I've bumped up to an 11. 10.5 in any shoe has been my standard for decades.

My right foot was okay in the 10.5 but the left was snug in the toe box. Tried another 10.5 left on thinking it was a fluke. 11 was fine.

I'm a few months shy of 58 years.


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## Lone Rager (Dec 13, 2013)

Surfdog93 said:


> Summer-heat swells my feet, and my "cool-weather shoes" feel tight. I end up with hot-toe which doesn't go away until I take the shoes off. So I use 1/2 - size larger during the summer.


FWIW: I find looser shoes to be warmer in the winter: More room for insulation and less restriction of blood flow.


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## Mr Pig (Jun 25, 2008)

Oh super. Something else to look forward to...


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## telemike (Jun 20, 2011)

Hi Jim. The Sidis are not quite wide enough for me. Do you have any idea how wide the Lakes are? D, EE, EEEE? The Lake 303s work for me in the snow.


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## jimPacNW (Feb 26, 2013)

telemike: I'm very new to this, not sure how wide the Lakes are on the E scale. I did a road ride on the Sidi's this morning (waiting for road cleats that the usps lost), kind of thinking they're a little big, but my swollen little toe was ok so I guess I'll keep them.
The Lake road shoes seem similar to the Sidis for fit and width. The Lakes I got seem to be leather, I'll have to double check, - if you get leather you should be able to stretch them out a bit more yourself.


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## bachman1961 (Oct 9, 2013)

Lone Rager said:


> FWIW: I find looser shoes to be warmer in the winter: More room for insulation and less restriction of blood flow.


My experience too. 
Many years of Michigan/Colorado skiing taught me the 'proper' fit cannot be snug. In ski boots, I learned early that thinner socks with some room keep my feet warmer and more comfortable that using thick socks that could be too tight and cramped or create sore pressure points. I've since, used that plan with any shoes or boots.


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## JLDickmon (Jun 4, 2018)

10 1/2 when I was 18, to a 12EE now that I'm in my late 50's


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## Osco (Apr 4, 2013)

At size 11 and at 55 years old I was told by my podiatrist that my barefoot days were over, I was In for a bone spur surgery. The doctor was worried about my fallen arches and wanted me wearing $400 Inserts that I could never get wet.
Before and after the surgery my feet would hurt if standing any longer than a half hour.
I could walk or run no farther that a few hundred yards before I'd get all kinds of annoying pain In my feet, ankles and chins. Mountain biking was ok If I remembered not to mash hard or ride at high watts for too long.

This I could not stand so I took up barefoot running as I was told It was very healthy for your feet to be used as they were designed to be used. Was a slow and painful process.

I am 59 and 3/4's now and a size 10.5 and In some shoes a 10. My size 10 Teva's have been replaced this year with size 9's, my arches are fully back up as far as I can tell and that podiatrist did not know what to say, all he could do was BS me, Done with him I guess.

After two years of "working on my feet" my Mountain biking that almost ended due to foot pain was now painless. I can go bare foot any length of time and got used to picking glass out of my feet.
I took a job that required me to stand In boots on concrete all day with only lunch breaks and an occasional sit down of minutes. I often worked 10 and 12 hours shifts, my feet get tired but remain absolutely pain free. The guy that hired me Is also the guy that got me Into mountain biking. He Is also one of only two who believe my story.

The only other guy that believes me is the guy that talked me Into barefoot running.
That's my story and I'm sticking to it !

I notice often how old guys talk ailments, 
We age and will one day die, We will falter and loose abilities,
I refuse to dwell on any of that..
'Dwell' : think, speak, or write at length about (a particular subject, especially one that is a source of unhappiness, anxiety, or dissatisfaction).

At 59 and a half I feel like I'm 30 and holding.
My arthritis Is a ***** but It will not stop me, I will not 'Dwell' on things like that.


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## quite.right (Sep 29, 2016)

Great!


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## bootsie_cat (Nov 3, 2004)

What did you do to "work on your feet"?


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## jazzanova (Jun 1, 2008)

Osco said:


> At size 11 and at 55 years old I was told by my podiatrist that my barefoot days were over, I was In for a bone spur surgery. The doctor was worried about my fallen arches and wanted me wearing $400 Inserts that I could never get wet.
> Before and after the surgery my feet would hurt if standing any longer than a half hour.
> I could walk or run no farther that a few hundred yards before I'd get all kinds of annoying pain In my feet, ankles and chins. Mountain biking was ok If I remembered not to mash hard or ride at high watts for too long.
> 
> ...


I believe you. 
Humans weren't ment to wear thick shoes with all the "support".
I try to walk barefoot any chance I get.
Anothe benefit of barefoot walking is the grounding/earthing effect.
Check out www.earthing.com

Ears and noses are the only things which should be growing as we get older. And maybe our ball sacks


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## Osco (Apr 4, 2013)

bootsie_cat said:


> What did you do to "work on your feet"?


At first basically take off my shoes and start walking to build calluses.
Running was jogging for a while But the thing Is to stay on sidewalks so your feet can build up slowly. Then move to the black top, when Its cooler In the mornings or late evenings. I had to remember that the edge of the road Is where all the crap congregates and everything is sharp or nasty, I'd advise getting your tetanus shot up to date.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barefoot_running

"The longitudinal (medial) arch of the foot also may undergo physiological changes upon habitually training barefoot. The longitudinal arch has been observed to decrease in length by an average of 4.7 mm, suggesting activation of foot musculature when barefoot that is usually inactive when shod."

My arches look/appear to have returned to a normal height BUT this is misleading.

Taking off the shoes helps the foot to return to a normal more upright position.
Too see for yourself stand barefoot on concrete and look down at your ankles, I saw my fallen arches but never noticed my ankles were angled inward.
I now naturally place more weight on the center line of my foot not on the line behind the big toe. My arches are back up due to (FOR ME) a corrected foot posture. Basically I strengthened the right tendons and muscles so my feet could support and perform for me as they did before I damaged them wearing all those soft comfy running shoes.

You can wear smooth leather sandals, I have to more often now as I am on gravel roads more. But You will know pain when you land on a dime sized stone, you have been warned so approach this carefully.
Falling arches means longer and wider feet and larger shoes, It's that simple.


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## bootsie_cat (Nov 3, 2004)

Thanks- This is super helpful.
How often do you run like this and what distance or duration do you run?
How long did it take for arches to return?


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## Osco (Apr 4, 2013)

bootsie_cat said:


> Thanks- This is super helpful.
> How often do you run like this and what distance or duration do you run?
> How long did it take for arches to return?


3 to 4 times a week at only 1 to 2 miles each run. I also walk bare foot as much as possible and wear flat souled leather sandals as much as possible.
Two years ago I got back on flat pedals on the mountain bike.
I got most of my cardio on the bikes.
My feet returned to near normal over a 4 year period.


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## huckleberry hound (Feb 27, 2015)

Osco said:


> At first basically take off my shoes and start walking to build calluses.
> Running was jogging for a while But the thing Is to stay on sidewalks so your feet can build up slowly. Then move to the black top, when Its cooler In the mornings or late evenings. I had to remember that the edge of the road Is where all the crap congregates and everything is sharp or nasty, I'd advise getting your tetanus shot up to date.
> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barefoot_running
> 
> ...


You can also wear some of these barefoot style sandals to run in From Xero Shoes.
https://xeroshoes.com/shop/genesis/genesis-men/
I wear their Hana shoes daily to work in. 
https://xeroshoes.com/shop/closed-toe-shoes/hana/
They allow me feet to move as God intended for them to. I used to be a size 13 but now I fall somewhere between a size 12-12.5.


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