How To Prevent Shoes From Cutting Ankle

Now you have gone to the shop and bought a pair of shoes. Excellent! It is that kind of shoes you have been saving money to buy. The fact that you had some time to save up for the shoes means; you liked them. Before buying, you had your feet measured to ensure that you pick the correct size. Everything was fitting well, and you made sure of that. Now you have taken your pair of shoes at home and ready to start wearing them.

So today, you decide to wear your favorite shoes, and your ankle is crying in pain. You get a painful blister. At times, it happens, and though it is beyond our control, you can still do something. When you put all the options on a weighing scale, you may discover that the manufacturers are at fault. But again, some people argue the problem can be biological.

Whatever the case, I will share with you some essential hacks. These hacks will guide you on how to prevent shoes from cutting your ankle. They are simple hacks that anybody can do with minimum or no resources at all.

How To Prevent Shoes From Cutting Ankle

Use insoles

I know you picked the correct size of shoes. When you wear them, you will realize that some shoes expand. In that case, that’s when insoles come in handy. Generally, insoles are used to make shoes tight. They give your shoes a tight grip which allows the feet to stay firm. That reduces the movements in the shoes, thus reducing friction.

When it comes to choosing the right insoles, make sure you spell out your need. Buying just any kind of insole may not be helpful since there are many out there serving different purposes. So go for the ones that are comfortable and flexible. The thin ones fit on almost every shoe, so picking them can be an excellent option.

Another critical factor is to take care of your insole. The best method is to clean regularly. Airing the insoles is also good to avoid bad smells. To ensure that they stay clean and dry, avoid wearing the shoes while your feet are dirty. Dry them in the sun regularly to eliminate any germs.

Think of using moleskin

Maybe this is the first time you have heard about moleskin. Moleskin can be described as thin cotton that is soft and heavy. On one side, it has a sticky adhesive, and on the other side, it is smooth. The adhesive side is the one that holds the shoe to prevent blisters. The softer side massages your feet as you wear your shoes, leaving you comfortable.

Now placing the moleskin needs a bit of your attention. First, you have to pinpoint where the rubbing is severe exactly, and for our case it is ankles. You can do this by running your fingers and fill where are protruding stitches. Once you identify the exact place, cut the moleskin to a desirable size and stick it. To ensure that it stays firm, you can opt to stitch using a needle. They are durable, so you will not need to change them now and then.

As always, keep your shoes dry to avoid moleskin peeling. Maintain general hygiene on your feet, too, to prevent foul odor.

Apply leather oil

There are leather oils that are applied to your shoes to make them soft.  As we stated above, sometimes it is not your fault that the shoes are rubbing your ankle. Before you apply the leather oil, make sure your shoes are clean. Read the manufacturer’s instructions and understand how the process is carried out.

Meanwhile, use clean oil and take some oil from your bottle. Take out your shoes and identify the ankle area. Rub the oil until the place is fully saturated. After the first application, wait for the shoes to absorb the oil.

The waiting period will vary from an hour to several days. When you discover all the oil has been absorbed still you can choose to try your shoes or apply another layer. Let the feel of your shoe be the determining factor and if you have to apply again, follow the same procedure.

How do you know the best leather oil to use?

It is good to do your research well and ask your sales representatives too. But don’t pick oil with these ingredients; pine tar, mineral oils, castor oils, or any oil with harmful chemicals. Those ingredients can damage your shoes because they decompose.

Give your shoes some warm treatment using a blow dryer

It is a bit off method that works out perfectly. Using a pair of your heaviest socks, wear them and slide your feet to your shoes. Your ankles are the targets, remember. Take your blow dryer and, with minimal heat, pass through the ankles area.

You can play along with this method. Move your feet around, toes, and continue adjusting your feet as you continue. I know the warmth is great but stick to the original plan to make your shoes a bit flexible. Continue with this method till you are sure the ankles are comfortable. You can remove your socks and test without them to feel whether there are better results.

How about freezing

The warming maybe is not working. Try some freezing and see how it goes. Take some bags and put in water. Then take your shoes and stuff the bags with water in your shoes. Throw the shoes in your freezer and leave them for several hours (6 hours is okay).

Once that is done and dusted, remove the ice from the shoes and fit them. Amazingly, you will feel a change in your shoes. If still, they are rubbing your ankle, it means they need some more treatment. You can repeat the process once more.

Some alcohol will do

Alcohol is not for drunkards only. With a ratio of 50 to 50, prepare your mixture of alcohol and water. You know the rubbing method, I guess you do. Through the rubbing method, rub at the ankle area where the grip usually is tight. Rub till the shoes are thoroughly soaked. Wait for the mixture to dry and repeat.

Alternatively, if you have a spraying bottle, spray around the ankles. Wear the shoes after around 20 minutes and feel whether they are still cutting. In case this is not working, take your socks and soak them in that solution. Leave them to soak for some time, and then wear the shoes. Give them another 10 to 20 minutes and remove them. You won’t feel the cutting effect after following this procedure.

Go modern and use some sprays and liquids

If you like it, there are sprays and liquids available to sort your ankle problems. These sprays are used to soften the parts where the friction is deep. On our case, we are dealing with ankles so apply a generous amount and let it to rest. After some time you can wear your shoes and test how they feel. As always, no method works instantly so if need be, you can repeat the procedure.

Wear socks to prevent the cuts

Wearing socks is also good when it comes to preventing cuts. Not only do they cushion you from the nasty cuts, but they help in stretching the shoes. If you are not comfortable walking around with heels and socks, wear them at home for some time till the shoes feel suitable to use.

How about using a paper tape and news papers

These tools also work magic. You can opt to put the paper tape around the ankle before wearing your shoes. The tape will keep your ankles safe, and you wouldn’t get any cuts.

If you chose to use newspapers, cut them to small sizes and stuff them around your ankles too. These two methods are not permanent but can give you relief for some time. A point to note though, avoid making the shoes wet because the newspapers will fill soggy.

You can practice walking around your house while using the two methods. The walking helps in expanding the shoes to make them comfortable.

Look for a professional

A professional is well versed with shoes problems. Consider taking your shoes to a cobbler and they can identify whether there are other problems. They can also help you stretch your shoes if you are not in a position to do so.

In Nutshell

Your ankles don’t have to suffer from tight or ill-fitting shoes. The methods we have discussed above are easy to implement with minimal hassle. Before thinking of visiting a professional to check where the problem is, try these fantastic tips first. The good thing is that they don’t need any magic to implement. With a bit of practice and a ton of patience, you can hack them. As we said earlier, it is not your fault that the shoes are cutting on the ankle. So don’t go around cursing and feeling frustrated. These things happen to everybody out there.