People love to buy new pairs of shoes but things go wrong when they select ill-fitting shoes. A wrong size shoe can be your worst nightmare as it starts ruining your feet’ health with the passage of time. The type and style of the shoe cannot make its best but the thing which makes a shoe best is its comfort. Everyone wants to wear an expensive pair of fashionable shoes but they ignore the comfort level of the shoes. It is important to consider the comfort and support level of your footwear and how you can easily break in a new pair of shoes.
Most of the new shoes did not treat your feet well. That’s the reason breaking them in is required to avoid any discomfort. Breaking in your new pair of shoes can be a time taking task as it takes weeks to be comfy; however, there are useful solutions to breaking in fast. People usually put their shoes in the washing machine or in heat to break in quickly but eventually these unproductive tricks damage your shoes. If new shoes are not breaking in properly then it starts rubbing your ankle. You can experience pain, discomfort, and skin infections due to the friction. That’s the reason how important it is to break in the shoe. Today we will tell you how you can speed up the break-in process without damaging your shoe material.
How to Break in Shoes to Avoid Rubbing?
If you mistakenly purchased a narrow shoe then you don’t have to worry about it because we will guide you to the best solutions of How to Break in Shoes that Rub Your Heel. You can use amazing DIY solutions and reliable products to break in your shoes. It is necessary to break in narrow shoes to avoid rubbing on your heel. Let’s have a look at the below useful solutions to break in your footwear.
You can watch the details of this amazing hack in this video.
1. Thick Socks for Comfort and to Avoid Friction
You can simply break in your footwear by wearing thick socks. Thick socks help you to break in the shoe by stretching it. This thick socks create a protective layer between your ankle and your footwear to avoid friction and rubbing. Thick socks efficiently stretch out the material of the shoe so you can easily wear them without rubbing the heel.
2. Walk in Your New Footwear
It is a very convenient method to break in your new shoe to avoid rubbing your ankle. The newly purchased shoe can be a little stiff but you can easily stretch it by wearing them at home. It is better to start walking around the house for 15 to 20 minutes.
Don’t wear the shoes for a long time at the start because it takes some time to adjust feet in the shape of the shoes. You can slowly increase your walking time in new shoes and after some days the new pair will be ready to wear at the home, office or in social gatherings for long hours. This process can take some time but proves useful.
3. Use Heat While Wearing Socks
Use this effective solution to break in your new footwear. You don’t have to spend a penny on the required stuff. You just need a thick pair of socks and a blow dryer. Put on a pair of thick socks and gently blow the hot air on the footwear.
You can repeat the process to create the required space in the ankle area. You need to be very attentive while performing this method because if you closely heat up your shoe then it will damage the shoe material.
4. Ice Bag Solution
The ice bag solution is considered one of the best solutions to break in the new shoes and to eliminate the risk of heel friction. Put a zip bag into your shoe and fill it half with water. After filling the water, put your shoes into the freezer for 10 to 12 hrs. The water expands when it turns into solid Ice.
Now take out the zip bag from your shoes and you can easily wear your comfy shoes without irritation.
If you want to learn his method step by step then don’t skip the below video.
5. Shoe-Stretching Spray
If you want to break in your shoe without waiting then shoe stretching spray is one of the best alternative solutions to expand your shoes. There is a wide variety of shoe stretch products but you can use FootMatters Shoe Stretch.
This product can be used in multiple shoe materials such as Leather, Suede, Canvas, Synthetics, Linens, Nubuck, and Patent leather. You have to spray inside and outside of the shoe which needs to be stretched. Now immediately wear your shoe with thick socks and walk around for some time till the spray dries.
6. Tree Shaper Shoe Expander
There is no need to break in the new shoes with your feet when you can use a good quality Shoe Stretcher. These Shoe expanders can easily stretch the length and width of your shoes. You can make your shoe roomy and comfy by using these 4-way stretching tools. This professional tool is suitable for leather shoes, running shoes, sandals, flats, canvas shoes, high heels, and casual shoes.
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Be sure to watch this video to correctly use shoe expander.
It is a good choice to use these Shoe Expanders to break in your shoes without wasting much time.
7. Profession Shoemaker Services
If you are getting no results from the above methods then you can opt for professional services. They have shoe stretcher machines to break in your shoes effectively.
If you are wondering how professional shoe stretching machine works then do watch this amazing video
These shoe stretching machines create more space in your shoes than any other method.
How to Protect Heel From Rubbing?
Want to protect your ankle from rubbing? You can use reliable products to eliminate the risk of friction and to save your heel from pain and soreness. You can use the below products for maximum heel comfort.
1. Use Moleskin Tape to Eliminate Rubbing
Moleskin tape is a magical thing to protect your ankle. This padding tape provides instant pain relief and protection from shoe rubbing and friction. Tape helps to alleviate pain due to blisters, bunions, calluses, and corns.
Moleskin tape is specifically made to give relief from shoe friction. The soft padding of moleskin tape provides a cushion to your heel area. Moleskin tape is an exceptional solution if you want to get rid of shoes that rub your heel.
If you don’t know how to use Moleskin tape then definitely watch this video,
2. Heel Cups, Cushion Heel Pads
Heel Cushions are one of the finest products that perfectly secure your heel from shoe rubbing. You can feel discomfort in your heel while wearing new shoes so it is better to use massaging gel heel cushions. Heel cushions are equipped with advanced massaging gel technology that provides you superior cushioning all day around to relieve heel discomfort.
You can go through this video to learn about heel cushion usage.
3. Start Using Cushioned Insoles
Don’t compromise with your feet’ comfort and start using the cushioned insoles. The insole provides balanced support and enough cushioning. These comfy inserts are specifically designed to absorb the pressure while standing, walking, and running; however, these inserts help you to get rid of forefoot pain, arch pains, heel rubbing, and calluses.
Read Also: Insoles for Dress Shoes
4. Heel Protectors
Are you fed from your new shoe’s constant rubbing? We have a solution to give you relief from shoes rubbing your ankle. The Heel sleeve protectors provide maximal support and supreme comfort to your heel and ankles. The heel protectors prove helpful to reduce plantar fascistic, heel tingling, friction, pain, and swelling. These heel supports pads are breathable and skin-friendly which prevents heel friction and relieves heel pain.
Why New Shoes Rub the Heel?
New shoes are always stiff and take some time to expand. That’s the reason you have to break them in so the pain could be avoided. Narrow shoes restrict the movement of your feet which causes pain and discomfort. The heel pain can be severe due to constant friction. If you wear your new shoes without breaking them in then it can cause blisters, bursitis, soreness, and inflammation on your heels. Just check out the reasons below for shoes rubbing at the back of the ankle.
- Narrow small shoes
- Extra big shoes
- Stiff heel counter
- Nonsuit able material
If your shoes are too small or too big then the shoe will rub your heel. The stiff heel counter is another cause of shoes rubbing your ankle. The shoe material must be skin-friendly to avoid friction. If you buy Suede, Leather, Canvas, and Rubber material shoes then you can experience a little bit of friction in your ankle. It is good to examine the shoe material before buying and make sure whether the material is skin-friendly or not.
Frequently Asked Questions
Read the answers of the most asked question below,
How Do I Stop My Shoes From Rubbing My Heels?
If you buy a new shoe then you can break in them to comfort your ankle. You can break in your shoes by wearing thick socks, rubbing alcohol on shoes, and using the ice bag method. You can also use shoe stretchers and shoe expanders to easily break in your shoes.
Why Are My Walking Boots Rubbing?
Your shoe starts rubbing your ankle when they are oversized or narrow in size. The stiff heel counter causes you immense pain in the ankle. It is good to break in your shoes before walking in them. You can use reliable products or DIY methods to stop shoes from rubbing.
What Are Heel Grips Used For?
Heel grips make your loose shoes tight and prevent oversized shoes from slipping. Heel Grips provide cushion and protection to your heel. You can use heel grips in various types of shoes such as canvas, pump, high heel, flat, dress, work, and leather shoes.
How Long Does It Take To Break in New Shoes?
Well, it depends upon what solution you are using to break in your shoes. If you are using DIY methods then it can take 3 to 4 days to perfectly break in your shoes but if you are using shoe stretchers then it will take hardly 24 hours to break in new shoes.
Is It Normal for Feet to Hurt With New Shoes?
Your new shoes take some time to adjust with the shape of your feet. If your shoes keep hurting your feet then break in your shoes for a comfortable experience.
Final Words
Say no to the ankle pain due to shoe rubbing. We have mentioned all the details regarding How to Break in Shoes that Rub Your Heel. You can break in your new shoes by using above mentioned methods. These solutions are effective and give quick results.
You can also use above mentioned products to avoid shoes that rub your heel. We hope this article will guide you thoroughly on how you can break in your shoes and protect your heel from pain. You can also give us your valuable suggestions via the below form.