When I was pregnant, people told me my boobs would get bigger. They didn’t. I wore the same bras before, during, and after both pregnancies.
When I was pregnant, people also told me my feet would get bigger. They didn’t either. My entire adult life, I wore a size 7-1/2 shoe, even after two pregnancies.
… Until menopause hit.
The progression was slow. In my late 30s, while I was going through (early) perimenopause, I found myself needing to buy size 8 shoes. In my postmenopausal 40s, I was up to a size 8-1/2. I’m now 54, 14 years postmenopausal, and wearing a size 9.
It’s bad enough my waistline is inching up. Now my feet are, too?! WTF?!
Because my day job is writing medical news, I went down a rabbit hole researching menopause feet to find out if this was just another of my own personal oddities or if other women experience this, too. Turns out, I’m not alone.
An observational study from 2016 found age-related changes in the shape of women’s feet is common. Doctors I spoke to explained that the loss of estrogen experienced during menopause triggers a decline in collagen production, which can lead to fallen arches, fat pad thinning, and feet widening. These changes not only cause foot pain, but also instigate the need for bigger, more supportive shoes.
Of course they do. Because hot flashes, dry vaginas, brain fog, and mood swings aren’t enough. Now our feet are too big and they hurt, too.
Being a woman of a certain age sucks sometimes … But at least is gives us a good excuse to go shoe shopping.
—LJDT
