I’ve been a size 10 forever. Some variation in brand or style but UK size 10/10.5 or eu45 has served me well for years.

Last few months I’ve been getting sort of a tingly feeling in my toes after a walk. Sometimes sore after a long descent in boots that I wore all summer without issue.

After a walk to the shop with some discomfort, I’ve went through my shoe collection trying them all on and I’ve discovered 7 pairs that no longer fit me.

Luckily my scarpa 45 still fit well with plenty of toe room so I’m not stuck in this weekend.

They (feet) seem a bit wider and a bit longer than they did a few months ago. Had this happened to anyone else? Is it because I’ve been living in slippers for almost a year?

As you get older your arches tend to flatten making your feet longer IIRC

I have gone up a size and a half since my 30s

have you gotten pregnant? the hormones that loosen you up down there also losen other tendons/ligaments thus pregnant ladies often go up 1/2-1 sizes.

have you gotten pregnant? the hormones that loosen you up down there also losen other tendons/ligaments thus pregnant ladies often go up 1/2-1 sizes.

This.

But on a more serious note, not all size 10’s are the same size, I’ve been known to rock a 10.5 or an 11 if wearing thick socks…but it does tend to vary a bit by manufacturere.

I don’t think I’m preggers… And I’ve managed to resist the urge to grow a lockdown belly so it must just be a feet thing.

Well… Good excuse to buy some new footwear! 😁

Right manky weather here and so much mud, I thought I’d wear old running shoes rather than my relatively new ones. They are five plus years old and now too small! Yep my feet are getting bigger as I get older.

As you get older your arches tend to flatten making your feet longer IIRC

I have gone up a size and a half since my 30s

Bloody hope not! I’m already wearing the biggest size available quite often.

This is very timely, I am currently replacing a number of pairs of shoes for the exact same reason.

My road cycling shoes were a snug but comfortable fit new years ago but now I am at least half a size bigger.

It’s conicided with tendon issues in a ankles, but I had never linked the two.

Jesus I might get up to a size 7 AND A HALF?!

As you get older your arches tend to flatten making your feet longer IIRC

Ah is that what it is? Some years ago I decided the 41s I’d worn for years were now too small. I’m now a 42. I wondered if it was my feet fighting back against being crammed into 39 rock boots.

Same here – I think its lockdown / home working. Wear flip flops at home all the time, so my feet seem to have got bigger / wider. Not helped by getting Altra trainers just before lockdown 1 either.

When I was in my early 20’s my feet were a size 11 and by the time I left the military I was a solid 12.5

I think it was carrying heavy things around the whole time, and the slow widening and flattening of your feet. Very bizarre. I try mountaineering boots I had at university, and it’s bizarre – not a chance of getting my feet into them.

Yep, sounds like middle aged spread of the feet to me. Seemed to happen quite quickly to me, how much is miss placed perception I don’t know

Incidentally,  after that I developed plantar fasciitis,  lots of rolling tennis balls around under my feet and I’ve gone down a size again

I have gone up a size and a half since my 30s

Any, y’know, ‘corresponding’ measurement increases?

Also modern shoes seem to be crap for wide feet and toes.

The only plain black shoes I can find to fit my feet comfortably and reliably are DMs. I’ve sized up from 10/45 to 11 in the last few years and I think that’s right about flattening arches. I used to be able to wear Karrimor trail trainer things – they stopped fitting a while back. My Roady shoes and SPD compatible MTB shoes the same. Thank goodness for the 5-10s. 🙂

Hmm this is a bit of a worry as I’ve worked out that I’ve got about £2.5k of perfectly-fitting footwear!

try mountaineering boots I had at university, and it’s bizarre – not a chance of getting my feet into them.

I’ve had the opposite problem. I have lots of old pairs of shoes that still fit perfectly but the news ones I buy are, at least nominally, a larger size. It’s like some weird vanity sizing thing.

Covid Toe? Don’t laugh. Our eldest has it – developed in the last month. It’s like chilblains but he does struggle with shoes because of it.

but the news ones I buy are, at least nominally, a larger size. It’s like some weird vanity sizing thing

I’m sure that’s a general trend to narrowness at the toe even in she’s that aren’t full blown winkle pickers where to get the width where you need it you have to size up and end up with a pointy bit of unused shoe sticking out at the end about equivalent to one shoe size.

Well this is a weird coincidence. I’ve had exactly the same issue as the op, I keep a weird stock system, when I find running trainers I like I’ll buy 2 or 3 pairs.

None of them fit anymore and are causing me all sorts of issues, I also find me feet are wider and longer.

I’ve been running much more since march 2020 so this might be a contributing factor.

I have also had symptoms very similar to covid toe which was really sore, but that’s finally cleared up now. I don’t think the 2 are related, but the smaller shoes (relative to my feet, they didn’t actually shrink) probably aggrivated the soreness of my toes.

tjagain
Full Member

As you get older your arches tend to flatten making your feet longer IIRC

Get an insole that’s curved slightly, it will then “shorten” your foot a bit. Worked for me anyway.

Although then one of my dogs chewed through the insole so I just gave up wearing those shoes and now just get half a size up.

Quite a few years ago I put on a couple of stone in weight and my feet became bigger. I lost the weight and they reduced back in size. Could you have ‘fat feet’?

So I spend last night trying every pair of shoes and boots I own and walking around the house. 6 pairs are definitely too small, 2 pairs are touch and go.

Definitely not ‘fat feet’ I’ve lost about 2 stone in the past year.

But it’s not just lengthening of the foot, I’m also getting a bit of spread and so shoes that are maybe OK length wise seem too tight at the toe now. I’m just surprised at how relatively quickly it’s all happened.

Nevermind, big ebay clear out this weekend and loads more space in the boot cupboard!

Well there you go, that’s confirmed what I suspected! I’ve been in denial for a few years, with discomfort in half my shoes/boots, while blaming manufacturers/socks/atmospheric conditions! Looks like i can rest easy in size 11s ….

Not helped by getting Altra trainers just before lockdown 1 either.

Interesting, I’ve not long had a pair of Altra Torins and although really comfortable they do seem to make the rest of my shoes feel tight. I’m pretty sure running (started Jan this year) has pancaked my feet a bit