Many things most women do in their normal routine actually put great stress on their feet and ankles.

Do you do any of these?

Find out some of the most common mistakes you can make, and the potential harm they can cause:

1. Wearing Heels Too Frequently
   
   High-heels have the obvious ability to lead to broken or sprained ankles. Your feet may also feel sore and painful at the end of the day.But in addition to the immediate risk and discomfort, they can lead to long-term pain too. They reduce your circulation and even shorten your Achilles’ tendon, depending on how long and frequently you wear them. This makes it more difficult to wear flat shoes. They can also destroy the fat padding on the bottom of your feet, which makes wearing heels, or any other footwear, far more painful.
2. Wearing Flats with Inadequate Structure and Support
   
   Not all flats are bad. However, if you can fold the pair of shoes you want to buy a few times, you’re looking at a pair that can lead to serious pain.Because of the poor support for your feet, you’re at greater risk for developing deformities and arthritis. And if you already have one or more of those problems, you’ll simply make them worse.
3. Wearing The Wrong Shoes for Your Exercise
   
   Even though your running shoes may fit you comfortably, they should be used for just that only – running. If you like to play other sports such as tennis or basketball, you put your feet and ankles at risk when you use running shoes.Why?They don’t offer the lateral support necessary that you get with shoes specially designed for each sport.

   This even includes seemingly minor differences. For example, walking shoes actually have a different build than running shoes. When running, the front of your foot hits the ground more. When walking, you tend to put more weight on your heels.

   Also, be wary of cross-trainers. While designed to work across multiple exercises, they’re not necessarily a good fit for any one particular activity.

   So, make sure you buy the right shoes for the primary type of activity you’ll find yourself doing.

4. Not Replacing Your Shoes Often Enough
   
   Most women don’t replace their shoes often enough. If you’re like most, you won’t consider tossing them out until you notice they start looking bad. In truth, they’ve already been breaking down and losing their ability to support your feet and ankles for some time.Typically, experts say you should replace your running shoes every 500 miles. If you don’t log your activity, replacing yours yearly is a healthy idea. If you exercise a few days per week, you may want to consider replacing your shoes when they’re less than a year old.

Check yourself to see if you make any of those mistakes. And if you do, it only takes you some simple steps to get your feet on the right track so you avoid unnecessary foot pain and injury.