Foot growth with age

[Jason Snyder]

When I was in my 20’s my foot was a 10 1/2 C width with a very high arch. I dropped a lot of coin on a pair of Whites packers. I wore a couple of soles out and had them rebuilt. Then, all of a sudden they were a little short.

I started wearing mountaineering boots and bought a couple pairs of Lowas, now in a 12. At 40, all of a sudden these are too short.

I move up to a 13 and this lasts until this last season. All of a sudden I can’t wear my heavy socks with my Hoffman’s anymore. My middle toes were a little cramped and this was causing a LOT of pain.

Last night the old Hoffman’s got retired and I left the store with a size 14 Explorer

Anyone else had arches flatten like this over time?

 

[IBen]

Have you gained weight? I would strengthen your arches if they are flattening out

 

[Jason Snyder]

Have you gained weight? I would strengthen your arches if they are flattening out

I’ve never been heavier than 215, I’m 198 ish right now.

Plenty of hill climbing and stuff. I don’t think it’s a weak arch. I lift in minimalist shoes several times a week. They aren’t as high as they used to be. Way back in the day when I did the wet foot arch test there was only a very narrow strip between heel and forefoot.

 

[Kenn]

I was 10.5 in college and now, 50 years later, I'm at 12. I'm shorter too. Gravity

 

[chindits]

Yup, seems like every year

I didn’t know I had flat feet until a physical therapist pointed it out. Least of my concerns, but I do wonder if it’s why my lateral toes always seem on the edge of my boots while there is plenty of room between my big toe and the edge of my boots.

 

[mtwarden]

I was a size 9-9.5 in high school, size 10-10.5 in my 30's-early 50's and have been a size 11 (in most shoes/boots) the last 15-ish years.

I still have a relatively high arch if you can go by a wet footprint???? If so, must have been really high when younger????

 

[5MilesBack]

Interesting. I've never heard of growing feet in adulthood. I was a 12.5 in high school, and am still a 12.5 today at almost 59. But I have to get 13's because they stopped making 12.5's years ago.

 

[Maverick1]

Have had the same size shoes and boots since high school. No real changes. Weight has fluctuated a bit over the years since then, but nothing drastic. Some of you have a few years on me though…..so it sounds like I’ve got something to look forward to…..?!…..

 

[mtwarden]

Interesting. I've never heard of growing feet in adulthood. I was a 12.5 in high school, and am still a 12.5 today at almost 59. But I have to get 13's because they stopped making 12.5's years ago.

I don't think they grow, but instead the arch becomes less pronounced (slowly collapses) with age and thus you need larger shoes.

If someone had relatively low arches to begin with, I'm guessing less of an issue???

I'm thinking running might speed this process up a bit as well.

 

[Tick]

Wore the same size from 13 to mid 30s and then went up a half size. No height or weight change. Gave away some really nice boots to friends.

 

[twall13]

I went from a size 12 in my early twenties to what I'd call a 13.5 now, only nobody sells that size so I end up in 14's for most brands, 13's on a select few. I have no idea what my arches looked like when I was younger but my feet are pretty flat now at 40 years old. Not weak, but flat. I do think running contributed to them flattening but I have no proof other than that's when I started noticing the sizing change. I mostly wear Vivobarefoot shoes and run exclusively in them without issue so my feet are fairly strong, just flatter than most.

Sent from my Pixel 6 using Tapatalk

 

[Marshfly]

My feet flattened and toes widened when I quit wearing dress shoes every day when we went remote for covid. Never went back to the office so they stayed. I don't have buy bigger shoes really (maybe a half size) but I do have to be aware of finding shoes with a wider toe box. I'm 43 years old now for reference. About the same weight as before.

 

[Jason Snyder]

I don't think they grow, but instead the arch becomes less pronounced (slowly collapses) with age and thus you need larger shoes.

That’s my issue. I still have pretty high arches, but obviously less so than 30 years ago.

 

[Caseknife]

Yep, 10.5 in high school and now 12.5 or so. Quite a few years left in my 2 pairs of Kenetreks, but can only wear one pair of medium weight socks now. Also my right foot is about 1/2 size larger, 62 years old.

 

[Gorp2007]

I started running in Altras and after a year my foot grew half a size. My Kennetreks were slightly large so I just had to size down my socks, but most of my other hiking shoes were suddenly too small. I attribute it to my improved fitness and dedication to natural foot splay because I refuse to admit that I may just be getting old and my feet are tired.

 

[S.Clancy]

Most of foot size change over time is weight related. Even if you haven't changed weight much but are heavy for your height, your feet will squish out over time.

I'm the opposite. My feet have gotten "smaller", but I assume that is because shoes have gotten bigger to accommodate the gravitational consequences of the rest of the population becoming hogs.

 

[dtrkyman]

Been wearing 9.5 or 10 since high school, 52 now.

 

[Weldor]

I noticed my boot size changing about 15 years or so ago when we went to world wide sizing Euro, US etc.
Wore steel toe Justins for over 30 years size 13 narrow (high arch). Went to get new ones on the companies dime and they were size 14 narrow , couldn't even get my foot in a 13. Same boot same style same sku number. Now I notice Merrel, under armour, red wing, and my Kenetreks are all differnt sizes 14 or 15. Only Thorogood boots made here in America are really size 14 for my foot anyway. Kenetreks also.

 

[TaperPin]

For a year I wore office shoes with little arch support and gained 20 lbs - my feet grew 1/2 size in length. I pick shoes more wisely now and nothing new has happened since then.

 

[Boarmaster]

11.5 in HS, by the time I got out of College I was a 12. Sometime in my late 40s I needed 13s. At 61 still in 13s.