When your heels hurt, your whole body suffers. If you’re avoiding activities you love or accomplishing daily tasks due to the pain, it’s time to do something about it.

For many Americans, December is filled with good cheer, festive activities, time with family, and—last but not least—great food! Unfortunately, ‘tis the season for gout flare-ups as well, and food is often a major culprit.

Do your shoes fit? It seems like a silly question, but you might be shocked to know how many people are wearing shoes that are the wrong size, width, or shape for their feet every single day.

In an ideal runner's world, every step of every mile would be 100 percent pain-free. No aches, no twinges, no lingering soreness from yesterday's workout. The reality is that many runners constantly deal with a slight (or not so slight) disturbance—a tender foot, a tight hamstring, a whiny knee. While these nagging issues often aren't serious enough to require a time-out, they are annoying, especially when they don't let you fully enjoy your time on the roads.

Pronation neutral and supination placements of the right ankle. The ankle and foot naturally pronate and supinate by about 5 degrees while walking or running. The red arrows indicate excessive pronation.

In general, overuse injuries are the result of repetitive impact between the foot and the ground. With improper running form, the force of the impact can be distributed abnormally throughout the feet and legs. 

Beyond your routine pedi, chances are you don’t give your feet that much attention. But did you know your feet actually have a lot to say about your health? If you take a moment to clue in to your heels and toes, you may notice some indicators of problems that have to do with much more than your feet. “If you notice a change in your feet, from what you would consider normal in the past, it’s generally a good idea to see your doctor,” says Melissa Lockwood, M.D., ABPM-certified podiatrist and DPM.

Supination, also known as underpronation, is the insufficient inward roll of the foot after landing. It may be the result of having a naturally high-arching foot, or it may also be caused by certain muscle weakness in your calves, ankles, or feet that are a result of ill-fitting running shoes, improper gait, or previous injuries.

When it comes to aching feet, you’re probably familiar with the usual suspects like bunions, plantar fasciitis, and too many hours in sky-high stilettos. But there are a few other reasons your feet might be hurting you—and they’re not quite as obvious. Here are a few ways you might be putting extra wear-and-tear on your feet without realizing it.