Turning 40 and my feet are still growing?????

[husky390]

I've been through hell trying to find a pair of boots that will fit me and I finally did with a pair of Salewa's in 13's. I've had them for two months and now they along with all of my other size 13 boots are too short and my toes are hitting the front of them. I thought I was done growing long ago but apparently not. My arches and feet feel fine so I don't believe they're collapsing. Has anyone else experienced this?

 

[kodiakfly]

Not over a two month span, but yeah, I used to be a 10.5 and now I'm creeping more into 11's.

 

[ohoopee]

I was an 11 at 40. Now at 51, Im a 12.

 

[COlineman78]

A couple years ago I went the other way when I lost a significant amount of weight. Lost 100lbs and went from a 13 to an 11.5.

 

[Tony Trietch]

It happens! I went from a 10.5W to a 11W-11.5W. I still have shoes from a coupe years ago that my toes cram up against the ends now.

 

[good2eat]

My guess is they aren't growing any bigger but rather spreading out as we age. I used to be 10, now 11.5. But I know my feet are flatter than they used to be too.

 

[twall13]

I think good2eat is right, not so much growing as spreading out. I've experienced the same thing, moved up about a full size over the last year... it sucks when good boots are so expensive...

 

[bourbon]

Just a thought to help keep you in the boots you already own, but have you considered using shoe trees when when you're not wearing them? It might help keep them a bit stretched out. They do make shoe trees for boots.

 

[Take-a-knee]

I've been through hell trying to find a pair of boots that will fit me and I finally did with a pair of Salewa's in 13's. I've had them for two months and now they along with all of my other size 13 boots are too short and my toes are hitting the front of them. I thought I was done growing long ago but apparently not. My arches and feet feel fine so I don't believe they're collapsing. Has anyone else experienced this?

Yes. I'm up a half-size. My feet are also slightly wider. I think changing my running stride to landing on the ball of my foot contributed to this, but maybe it was just age and the arch flattening as you stated. I wore 10W boots for 20yr in the Army but my toes are jambed in most 10's now.

 

[twall13]

Yes. I'm up a half-size. My feet are also slightly wider. I think changing my running stride to landing on the ball of my foot contributed to this, but maybe it was just age and the arch flattening as you stated. I wore 10W boots for 20yr in the Army but my toes are jambed in most 10's now.

It's funny you mention changing your running stride to landing on the balls of your feet here. I hadn't really thought about that being a cause for my feet spreading out and changing sizes but over the last 6-8 months I've gone through that same transition. Maybe it has added to the problem...

 

[Jpeaston]

also I noticed that if you leave your boots in a hot garage or in direct sunlight, the leather tightens and curls the toe up and makes them feel shorter. I have been keeping them in a cool closet and it has made a difference. May not be as bad where you guys are, but in the middle of California my garage temps hit 115 or so.

 

[husky390]

Thanks guys, I'm glad I'm not the only one. My boots are kept in the hall closet, room temp so no shrinking on their part. I have an appointment with The Custom Foot to talk to them about it. They said it's due to our muscles and ligaments relaxing and stretching with age. Wish I was getting taller instead.

 

[Jeff Martin]

as others have said, you can lose your arch and your size will change. Losing weight, gaining weight, etc...

 

[geriggs]

I was a 13 now a 14 at 42

 

[bpotter]

Was a 10.5 until I hit 50s 11.5 -12 now. Mine got longer but not wider. Seem to have stabilized but I spent a lot of money on footwear during the transition.

 

[husky390]

I met with The Custom Foot guys today and will be having orthotics made. Really nice and helpful guys. The problem is with how I stand which causes my fleet to splay out. I'm really hoping this puts my boot issue to rest.

 

[MontanaMarine]

When I joined the Marines at 18 I was size 11.5, now (at 54) I'm a 13.

 

[zman]

I've been through hell trying to find a pair of boots that will fit me and I finally did with a pair of Salewa's in 13's. I've had them for two months and now they along with all of my other size 13 boots are too short and my toes are hitting the front of them. I thought I was done growing long ago but apparently not. My arches and feet feel fine so I don't believe they're collapsing. Has anyone else experienced this?

A lot of people cram their feet into shoes too small and the toes curl under a bit. Go barefoot or wear flip flops for a month (summer at the beach). And all the sudden your are up a half a size or more. Happened to me after cramming my feet into wrestling shoes all thru college.

 

[El Gavilan]

I hear ya on the feet still growing bit.....I had a new knee put in a year and a half ago and I'm 63 now, used to always wear 10.5 boots but all of a sudden last winter my toes were crammed into the fronts of all my boots. I had to go up to 11's and all is well. Just a growing boy I guess, or it could be the stimulation of the new knee to grow some new bone made the rest of them grow some too!

 

[husky390]

My insoles were made for me today and wow, what a difference they made. Before I wore them, my foot would roll out and actually elongate a full size larger than what I needed. With the insoles helping me to stand correctly, I'm in a 47 or US13, not a 14. So far so good, I'm going to start hiking around the neighborhood with them but I can already tell they've made a difference in my stride and when standing just from wearing them today.