Final answer:
Poorly fitting shoes and improper toenail trimming may cause bunions, metatarsalgia, hammertoes, and stress fractures. It is important to wear properly fitting shoes and avoid high heels to prevent these foot issues.
Step-by-step explanation:
Poorly fitting shoes, and/or improper trimming of toenails, may cause bunions. A bunion is a protrusion on the side of the foot, most often at the base of the big toe. It can be caused by wearing shoes with a narrow, pointed toe box, such as high heels. The pressure of the shoes on the side of the foot causes an enlargement of bone or inflammation of other tissues in the region, which pushes the big toe towards the other toes.
Improper shoe choices can also lead to other foot issues like metatarsalgia, hammertoes, and stress fractures. Metatarsalgia, or pain in the ball of the foot, can result from the excessive pressure caused by wearing high heels. Hammertoes are abnormal bends in the middle joint of the toes, often caused by the squishing of the toes in narrow, pointed toe boxes. Stress fractures, which are small cracks in the bone, can also be caused by wearing high heels.
To prevent foot problems, it is important to wear shoes that fit well, have plenty of room in the toe box, are supportive, and are comfortable right away. It is also advisable to avoid shoes with high heels, narrow toe boxes, or thin heels. If high heels must be worn, they should be worn for only a limited period of time.