Not-so-sof(f)t shoes

September 24, 2009 6:37 AM

Shoe problems. How do I keep a new-ish pair of shoes from scraping my heels/ankles?

I recently bought a pair of kitten-heeled Sofft pumps at a thrift store. They are adorable and fit me perfectly, except for one problem: The back of the shoe scrapes against my heel when I walk. I assumed this would stop after I've broken them in, but after I wore them out for two full days they persisted in scraping against my heels.

I recently had to purchase a few new pairs of shoes, and had similar problems during the break-in period. The blisters from those are still present, and breaking in YET ANOTHER new pair of shoes may be exacerbating an existing problem. Would stretching the heels help? (When I bought them, the heels were a bit narrow, as though the owner kicked them off by stepping out of one with the opposite foot.)

posted by pxe2000 to clothing, beauty, & fashion (12 comments total)

I have nothing but praise for the Band-Aid Blister Block stick, especially for shoes that require a great deal of breaking in.
posted by kmennie at 6:45 AM on September 24 [1 favorite]

Get them stretched at a shoemaker so you don't have to break them in yourself and destroy your feet.
posted by pised at 6:55 AM on September 24

sorry, not a shoemaker -- a shoe repair shop, I meant.
posted by pised at 6:56 AM on September 24

I swear by Dr. Scholl's For Her Heel Liners.
posted by xsquared-1 at 6:59 AM on September 24

Sometimes I put a band-aid on preemptively. I am actually carrying around the heel liners that xsquared recommends for a pair of Privo's that started bothering me after several weeks of wear. They tend to flatten out or peel off.
posted by mokeydraws at 7:02 AM on September 24

I use moleskin patches - you can cut them to the size you want and they stick very well. the only problem is I've only seen them come in "skin colour" (which may not be your skin colour).
posted by cranberrymonger at 7:40 AM on September 24

Seconding the moleskin patches. I used to carry around a pack with a pair of little scissors in my purse when I was breaking in an uncomfortable shoe.
posted by Diagonalize at 7:43 AM on September 24

If this ever happens when you're stuck without supplies, a piece of scotch tape over the offending spot will do in a pinch. I'm using one right now.
posted by *s at 8:06 AM on September 24

Get the heel liners and go to a shoe repair shop to get them stretched!
posted by canine epigram at 10:45 AM on September 24

I prefer Dr. Scholl's Rub Relief Strips to the full heel liners, myself. They allow you to target small areas of the shoe, and I often have a problem with just the very edge of the shoe rubbing my heel raw.
posted by EvaDestruction at 10:47 AM on September 24

I use dry bar soap (not sure about glycerin) to break in stiff shoes. I think it must work as a lubricant, and it's excellent. One pair of shoes went from my-ankles-are-streaming-with-blood to no problems whatsoever. Best part is that most people have dry bar soap around the house, so it's the most accessible/cheap option.
posted by saturnine at 1:39 PM on September 24

Rub some deodorant on your heels before putting on the shoes...the sweat from your feet is what gives you blisters.
posted by radioamy at 9:30 PM on September 24