They say, “With age, comes shrinking”.
Gravity is the culprit and I am no exception.
I was once 5’ 4 ½”, but now measure 5’ 3” at the doctor’s office. This explains why cabinets are higher now and the upper reaches can only be accessed by standing on tiptoe.
The truth is, I am now a shrinking woman. This is not a huge surprise.
But did you know FEET are also affected by the creeping/creepy years
I have just learned a second truth about aging –
BIGGER FEET!
Because none of my regular shoes fit anymore (which I thought was because of the intermittent swelling of BigFoot), I was recently fitted for new shoes.
The measurements were taken the old fashioned way you know by an orthotics expert who used one of those metal things you stand on.
Out of curiosity I asked, “So, what size am I?”
And the answer was, “9 to 9 ½.”“WHAT?” I practically screamed. “I have always been a Size 7 ½ to 8! Are my feet GROWING? No, your feet are going flat.
Your arches are falling.”
This revelation required some serious mulling over.
No wonder all my shoes are too tight to put on!
The old feet are growing as the arches fall – a ridiculous/obvious fact with annoying repercussions.
For one thing I have a nice shoe collection.
It does not compete with Imelda Marcos, but includes:
Dress shoes in different colors and heel heights, lace-up athletic shoes (even though I have not been athletic in many a year), sandals in different colors and styles, boots in all their iterations, and all the various sizes of Walmart Specials to help during the BigFoot-Boot-Cane-MRI years.
Should I throw them all out and start over?
And how much more will these feet grow?
Maybe the solution is to stay inside wearing slipper socks until the feet reach maximum growth!
Life is full of mysteries.
It is my sincere hope that these Notes from An Incredible Shrinking Woman with Big Feet will inspire you to buy shoes with “give”. Although you may not know it, your feet are definitely growing.
Virginia Views 
I went from 5’4″ to 5’2″ so consider yourself lucky or at least taller! My feet have always been flat and the good news is that I still take the same size I did as a freshman in high school although my feet (which got crotchety) will not tolerate heels higher an 1-1/2″. Loosely translated that means old lady shoes! Boogers!
LikeLiked by 2 people
I’m kind of hoping that this is true as I spend more money on my kids shoes than my own & they have bigger feet than me. Hopefully, one day, they can pass their hand downs to me… 😊
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oh my! Getting older is definitely fraught with danger. Never knew about the feet….
This time of year, I am missing Virginia and the beautifully colored leaves.
My Texas cactus, yucca, and agave — remain the same here in Texas.
LikeLiked by 1 person
so you’re saying your body slowly sinks into your feet and if you lived long enough we’d all become a head on a giant pair of feet? I’m going to need new shoes …
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks for the warning, Dor. 😉 I guess this is an opportunity to downsize the wardrobe (or is that upsize?). At any rate, minimizing has its benefits. Goodwill shoppers will have some great shoes to choose from. 😉 Any new shoes you get might be fewer in number, but in neutral tones to go with more things.
LikeLiked by 1 person
It all makes sense. Your arches fell so you lost height also. Time for a pair of those 6″ platform shoes!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oh, I remember my mother telling me that feet got larger with age. As my feet were never petite, this was a rather terrifying discovery. Now I have sandals, walking shoes, and hiking boots. That’s it. Can’t afford more if the size will change.
LikeLiked by 1 person
omg I needed to laugh xo
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’ve experienced the same thing as you! 7 1/2 is now 8 1/2… and once you wear a show that is ‘roomy’ you really don’t like the feel of a shoe that is snug!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes, I think I will be relegated to “old lady shoes” too. And they will look like boats because of my newly acquired huge foot size! Boogers for sure!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Lucky kids and there is hope if you can inherit their bigger shoes if your feet should grow too. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
We lost the autumn leaves quickly this year due to lots of rain and high winds, but I know how you feel about Fall. It was always my favorite time of year, and especially here in Virginia.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I literally did laugh out loud at your response to this one Andrew. I had a vivid mental picture of my head on a pair of giant clown shoes! 🙂 LOL!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes, there are some positives in downsizing – like more room in the closet maybe. Growing feet at my age present a rather strange challenge! 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Or maybe stilts? 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks Donna. You have the right idea to limit categories of shoes. I must remember that when coping with this growing feet problem. 🙂
LikeLike
Laughing is catchy. You are making me want to laugh more! 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks Margy. I am headed to a shoe store tomorrow and looking forward to the comfort of wearing Size 9 shoes that might even fit. 🙂
LikeLike
🙂
LikeLike
WHAT?! This can not happen to me…oh, no it can not! I wear an 11, yes an 11. I need to friend a drag queen to see where they get their shoes, otherwise, I’ll be wearing boxes. Haha!
LikeLiked by 1 person
🙂 all I do these days is laugh lol
LikeLiked by 1 person
I don’t get it either…why are we shrinking but our feet are expanding? Do fallen arches really cause our feet to elongate? I too have found I am wearing shoes in bigger sizes than ever before. ACK! And I cannot wear heels anymore at all. Flats and tennis shoes are now my go-to (which makes me shorter too because I used to like wearing high heels to make me appear taller than I actually am). Forget fashion, I’m now all for comfort no matter how short I may be! 😉
LikeLiked by 1 person
Remember to walk and stand tall! I use the back extension machine at the Y, but don’t think I’ll get back the inch I’ve lost over the years. Now I am 5’! People like me with osteoporosis have to pay attention to sitting posture as well. But my feet are still the same shoe size. Short Okabash rubber wedge slippers for casual and house slippers help my posture a lot, too.
I sometimes get good shoes from a friend and daughter whose feet have gotten large. It is unbelievable how short people can land up with huge feet!😐
LikeLiked by 1 person
I love it that you can laugh with me!
LikeLiked by 2 people
Short and comfortable- the great goals in life! 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Landing on your feet is the main thing right? And it appears you are also doing the right things for the osteoporosis. Kudos! And stand tall. You have a lot to be proud of.
LikeLiked by 1 person
🙂 or we would cry all the time.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’m convinced you can shine an amusing light on anything!
I have changed my thinking since I began wearing sneakers seven days a week. I will not look at other people’s feet, and I expect them to ignore mine. Problem solved.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oh, everything seems to shift as we get older! I hear even our ears get bigger. My shoe size jumped up a size years ago and comfort is a criteria for buying new shoes. I haven’t been measured for height for some time but still put my height at 5″2′. A relative once told me I would be taller if more of me had not been turned down (my feet). Have a good Thanksgiving, Dor!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dear friend, Anne, I use the very same “head in the sand” technique! 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
I really don’t like all this odd shifting around of body parts though. Someone else just said that with age,your nose will get bigger too (it’s all that cartilage that’s mobile). Sigh. Happy Thanksgiving to you too! 🙂
LikeLike
These revelations, and I sure had these, suck. Sorry, I couldn’t think of any other word, Dor! 😬
LikeLike
Life is not fair!
LikeLiked by 1 person