9 Easy Ways Break In Shoes That Rub Your Heel
Shoes size is important factor that decides the comfortness of shoes. Like, If a shoe is too small, it will pinch your toes and rub your heel. If a shoe is too big, it will slip off your foot and be uncomfortable. The best way to avoid these problems is to buy shoes that fit properly. Shoes type also matter like, Slip On Shoes are famous because they are easy to take on and off.
Choosing the right size shoe is not always easy. Sizes vary from brand to brand and sometimes even within the same brand. That’s why it’s important to try on shoes before you buy them. Once you find a brand and style that fits well, you will feel super comfy in that pair.
Among many issues rubbing of heel is the main reason of discomfort while wearing shoes. While most of the times it is the size issue or hard collar of shoes, there are some other reasons as well that might cause your shoes to rub your heel.
Why Your Shoes Rub the Back Of Your Heel?
There can be many reasons for this. Here, we will discuss some of the most common ones:
- Shoes that are too small: If your shoes are too small, they will pinch your toes and rub your heel. This is because there is not enough room for your foot to move around inside the shoe. To avoid this, make sure you buy shoes that fit properly.
- Shoes that are too big: If your shoes are too big, they will slip off your foot and be uncomfortable. This is because there is too much room for your foot to move around inside the shoe. To avoid this, make sure you buy shoes that fit properly or make shoes smaller at home.
- Hard collar of the shoe: The hard collar of the shoe can rub against your heel and cause discomfort. To avoid this, try to find shoes with a soft collar or no collar at all.
- Wrong size: Sometimes, even if the shoe is the right size, it can still rub your heel if it is not wide enough. If this is the case, try to find a shoe that is a half size larger or has a wider width.
- Tight laces: If your laces are too tight, they can rub against your heel and cause discomfort. To avoid this, make sure you loosen the laces before you put on your shoes.
How to Break In Shoes That Rub Your Heel?
There are a few things you can do to help break in shoes that rub your heel. Actually, hard shoes need some time to get soften and take the shape of feet. Softening the collar of boots or making shoes bigger can be really helpful to get rid of heel rubbing problem.
Ways To Stop Shoes From Rubbing The Back Of Heels or Ankle
There are a few things you can do to help break in shoes that rub your heel.
Sticking Moleskin On Shoe Collar
You can stop the back of your shoe from rubbing your ankle by sticking a small piece of moleskin on the inside of the shoe collar. This will provide a barrier between your ankle and the back of the shoe.
Moleskin can be purchased from any drugstore. It i
Once you have done sticking moleskin, you will feel comfortable fabric on your heels that will also help to prevent blisters. Make sure you stick it around the ankle space where your shoe collar rubs against your skin.
Stretching Your Shoes
If your shoes are too tight, you can try to stretch them out. This will make the shoes larger and help to reduce the amount of rubbing on back of your heels.
There are a few ways to stretch your shoes:
Use a Shoe Stretcher
You can purchase a shoe stretcher from any shoe store. It is a tool that helps to stretch shoes. Just insert the shoe stretcher into your shoes and leave it overnight. This will help to stretch out the shoes and make them more comfortable to wear.
Use a Hairdryer
Another way to stretch your shoes is to use a hairdryer. Heat up the areas of your shoes that are too tight with a hairdryer. Then, put on a thick pair of socks and wear the shoes around the house for a few hours. This will help to stretch out the shoes.
Use Water
Fill two zip-lock bags with water and seal them tightly. Then, put the bags into your shoes and put them in the freezer overnight. The water will expand as it freezes and help to stretch out your shoes. In the morning, take the shoes out of the freezer and let them thaw out at room temperature.
These are some ways that can help you to stretch out your shoes and make them more comfortable to wear to avoid rubbing effect of shoes.
Wearing Thick Socks
If your shoes are too tight, you can try wearing thick socks. This will help to fill up the space in the shoes and make them more comfortable to wear.
You can also try wearing two pairs of socks. This will help to fill up the space in the shoes and make them more comfortable to wear. Socks can also provide a barrier between your skin and the back of the shoe to help prevent blisters. Wearing moisture wicking thick socks can also keep you feet dry at work and provide cushioning protection from hard material of work boots.
Using Cotton Pads
Cotton pads are small pads that are available on many drugstores. These are good for short term use like if you have to attend an event with dress shoes, but for long time this can be issue to always using new pads. These pads have removeable tap that is removed before applying them. After peeling the tape, you have to stick these pads on the back of your foot where you have rubbing contact with shoe.
These cotton pads will help to reduce the friction and make shoes more comfortable. Although, it is not a permanent solution, but can help you to get relief from rubbing shoes in short term.
Buying Right Sized Shoes
This is the most important and permanent solution to stop shoes from rubbing your back of heel. If you buy shoes that fit well, they will not rub your heels.
It is important to try on shoes before you buy them and make sure they are comfortable. Walk around in the store to make sure the shoes are comfortable and do not rub your heels.
If you buy shoes online, make sure you know the return policy in case the shoes do not fit well.
When you are trying on shoes, wear the socks that you will be wearing with the shoes. This will help to ensure a good fit.
Make sure there is enough space in the toe box of the shoe. There should be about a thumb’s width of space between the end of your toe and the front of the shoe. Also check the consistency of collar of shoes , it should not be too hard.
Use Heel Protectors
If you already have a pair of shoes that rub your heels, you can try using heel protectors. These are small pads like bandages that you can wear on the back of your shoes to help reduce the friction. These are removable and can be worn with any shoe.
You can find heel protectors at most footwear stores or online at Amazon. They are usually found in the foot care aisle. They work by providing a barrier between your skin and the back of the shoe to help reduce friction that ultimately avoid blisters, heel ulcers and wounds on back of ankle.
Using Duct Tape
If you cannot find heel protectors, you can try using duct tape. This is a temporary solution, but it can help to reduce the friction and make your shoes more comfortable to wear.
Cut a small piece of duct tape and apply it to the back of your heel. Make sure that the duct tape does not cover your entire heel. You just want a small strip to help reduce the friction. Removing tape can sometimes hurt you. So, taping the inner of shoes is viable option in that case.
You can find duct tape at most hardware stores.
Use Comfortable Heel Insoles
Having thin or wrong sized insoles can also contribute to rubbing of shoes on your heel. Try using comfortable and well-fitting insoles in your shoes to help reduce the friction and make them more comfortable to wear.
You can find comfy insoles at most footwear stores or online. There are many different brands and types of insoles available, so make sure you choose ones that are comfortable and fit well in your shoes. Memory Foam and EVA cushioned shoe insoles are good options.
Sometimes not cleaning insoles properly also create issues. So, we recommend try to clean insoles of shoes if you’re feeling uncomfortable walking or bad smell from shoes.
Soften the Back of Shoes
If the back of your shoes is hard and rubbing your heels, you can try to soften them.
One way to soften the back of shoes is to use a hairdryer. Turn the hairdryer on low and hold it about 6 inches (15 cm) away from the back of the shoe. Move the hairdryer back and forth until the back of the shoe is soft. Actually, hairdryer is a source of hot air and heat. So, it can be used to soften anything like leather shoes or composite materials of work boots.
The Risks of Rubbing the Back of Your Heel
If you have a shoe that is rubbing the back of your heel, it is important to take measures to fix the problem. If you do not, you risks developing blisters, calluses, or wounds.
In extreme cases, you can even develop an ulcer on your heel or foot problems like Achilles tendinitis.
If someone have diabetes, it is especially important to take care of any foot wounds as they can quickly become infected.
If you have a shoe that is rubbing your heel, make sure to take measures to fix the problem as soon as possible. The longer you wait, the greater your risks are of developing serious foot problems.
