Why Do Doc Martens Hurt Your Feet?

Have you bought a pair of Doc Martens boots and found that your feet hate the shoes? If so you are not alone. So why do Doc Martens hurt especially in the initial break-in period and what can you do about it?

I can speak from bitter experience as when I initially bought two pairs of Doc shoes in the 80’s the shoes initially crippled my feet.

In the days before the internet, I assumed that it was my feet that were the problem and I really didn’t have a clue what to do other than grin and bear the pain.

Now I am older and wiser and thought it would be worth letting you know why you might be experiencing a problem and what you can do to stop it.

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Are Doc Martens Supposed to Hurt?

So are Doc Martens shoes and boots supposed to hurt?

Well no the brand didn’t deliberately go out of its way to make its footwear uncomfortable but in order to understand why they hurt you need to know a little of the history of the brand.

When the original designs were made in the 1960’s shoe manufacturing was very different. Whilst the brand had its air wair sole the footwear was created as a work boot primarily for factory workers in the UK who were working class.

Whilst nowadays shoe brands can spend millions testing their designs for comfort and foot health back then the boots served the simple purpose of being a workhorse of a boot. Doc Martens had made boots and shoes that could last for a long time and be tough enough to withstand tough working environments.

What they hadn’t expected was that the shoes would start to become cool and appeal to certain subcultures. Skinheads started to wear them, then punks and goths, and even rock stars bought them. Now their footwear is worn by just about everyone.

The problem is that many of the original designs have barely changed and still are a little rough and ready when it comes to comfort. For many the cool factor overrides the inconvenience of breaking them in but for others, it is a deal breaker.

 

Why Are Doc Martens so Uncomfortable?

Most of the designs of the original Doc Martens shoes and boots haven’t changed significantly since they were created in the 1960s.

The boots are sturdy, have tough leather and their thick soles are heavy and designed to last for a long time. However, these attributes are the very reason why Doc Martens hurt some people, especially during their initial break-in period.

Now we want our shoes and boots to feel good as soon as we put them on our feet however the designs of the original styles of Docs haven’t evolved much in over 60 years. This is where there is a clash of expectations vs the reality of trying to wear tough work boots as a fashion item. Are Doc Martens good for your Feet? Well, they certainly aren’t orthopedic shoes which means they aren’t going to be as comfortable as specially designed shoes that look after your foot health.

In addition, the brand now makes two versions of its leather boots and shoes. One type is labelled made in England and the others are made in Asia.

The Made in England brand is pricier and has tougher leather and a much harder break-in process than the designs made in Asia.

So if you have invested your money in the pricier English versions you are going to be in for a harder time breaking in your new boots.

Do Doc Martens Eventually Get Comfortable?

The good news is that once the painful process of breaking your Doc Martens in is over you should end up with footwear that has molded to your feet and feels comfortable.

To get to this point, however, you may need to spend up to six weeks breaking them in slowly so they don’t hurt your feet.

As the shoes are tough and durable at least you know that you are going to get considerable wear out of them before you need to buy another pair.

How Do You Wear Doc Martens Without Them Hurting?

Why do Doc Martens Hurt? Well as you can see part of the problem for many people is that the stiff leather and sturdy design of Docs means that you need patience breaking in their shoes and boots before they become comfortable.

I’ll talk to you about the break-in process in a moment but there are some other reasons why you may have a problem as well.

Firstly, you may have bought the wrong size of Doc Martens in the first place. If your Docs feel tight when you first wear them then clearly they are going to cause pinch points and friction.

Secondly, you have feet that simply don’t suit the Dr Martens footwear. So, if you have foot problems like the conditions below you are going to have to be much more cautious with the shoes that you wear.

Painful foot conditions may need inserts, orthotics, moleskin padding, or a number of other foot products to stop shoes from hurting. In many cases the right product or insert can make Docs easier to wear but in some cases, you may have to accept that they aren’t the right brand of shoes for you.

• Flat Feet
• Plantar Fasciitis
• Hammer Toes
• Bunions
• Calluses and Corns

Painful foot conditions may need inserts, orthotics, moleskin padding, or a number of other foot products to stop shoes from hurting. In many cases the right product or insert can make Docs easier to wear but in some cases, you may have to accept that they aren’t the right brand of shoes for you.

Breaking in Your Docs

Without a doubt, the most difficult problem with wearing Doc Martens is getting over that initial break-in period when you buy a new pair.

If you don’t do this right you are going to end up with sore toes, painful blisters and foot pain. Whatever you do make your you don’t start wearing a new pair of Doc Martens and expect to walk long distances in them or wear them for long periods of time. You need to take your time breaking them in slowly and carefully.

Here are some of the tricks you can use to stop Doc Martens from hurting during this initial break-in period.

Buy the Right Size

Before thinking about some of the other reasons for your problems do make sure that you buy the correct size of Doc Martens first otherwise your feet are going to suffer.

Doc Martens don’t do half sizes in their shoes and books which means that you need to make a decision when you are buying them to size up or down.

Doc Martens themselves believe that if you are a half size you should size down when you are buying their shoes and boots. I say that this is a bad idea.

You need to try on any footwear and judge for yourself what the best size for you is. The half size isn’t the only thing that you need to consider as the width and depth of your foot is also a factor when deciding if they are going to be comfortable pair of shoes.

In addition, if you have any foot deformities such as bunions they need to be considered as well. Only when you have taken the time to try them on and test them on your feet will you know the real right size for you.

If you have bought the wrong size and your footwear is too small then boot and shoe stretchers or a shoe stretching spray can help to increase their size.

Wear Them for Short Periods of Time

If you are sure that you have the right size then your next step is to wear them in slowly. In other words, wear them for one or two hours at a time initially whilst your feet get used to the new footwear.

Over time start wearing them for a little longer each time. Slowly build up your tolerance to wearing them to prevent blisters and and reduce friction.

Usually, the shoes and boots should be ok to wear all day after four to six weeks.

Wear Thick Socks

Wearing thick socks whilst you break in your Dr Martens can also help.

When you wear thicker socks you are firstly protecting your feet from the stiff leather which can pinch or chafe as you walk. The socks are a great barrier of extra cushioning that can help to reduce friction and keep your feet blister-free.

Secondly, thick socks help to stretch the Docs a little over time giving your feet a little more room inside the boot or shoes.

It is worth thinking about getting breathable socks if you are going to do this because if you have sweaty feet that can create more friction and create shoe bites.

 

Check Your Laces

Think about how you are lacing your shoes as well. If you have overtightened your laces, especially on the boots you can make them too tight and uncomfortable to wear.

Take a little time adjusting the laces so the footwear is firmly on your feet but not hurting you in any way.

Check For Pinch Points and Use Moleskin

Moleskin padding is also your friend. I always have it in the house as it is a great product that you can stick on to any pinch points or areas of rubbing inside your footwear.

The moleskin helps to reduce friction and gives you a little extra protection whilst your feet get used to the new Docs.

How to Break in Dr Martens With Wonder Balsam

I can’t mention breaking in Doc Martens without mentioning their Wonder Balsam product.

Doc Martens Wonder Balsam is designed to help nourish the leather of your footwear but it can also help break in Doc Martens as it can help to soften the leather.

It’s made from lanolin, beeswax and coconut oil and all you need to do is work it into the leather and seams on your footwear to help soften the leather.

Do this regularly when you have initially bought a new pair of Docs and you should find that the break-in process is considerably faster and less painful.

 

Doc Martens Rubbing Heel

I’ve spent some time explaining why you might have an issue with Doc Martens footwear now let’s move on to more specific areas of the shoes or boots which people find problematic. I’ve written a whole post on what to do if Doc Martens hurt the top of your foot so you can read that for information on that problem but what about the other areas?

As an example, why do Doc Martens hurt your heels?

Well, if the size of your shoes is correct then your problem is likely to be because of the positioning of your foot inside your boots or the inner side of the boots causing friction.

As I mentioned earlier Doc Martens are not made of the softest leather and when they are new they are particularly unyielding and that can aggravate your heels and cause foot pain.

How to Break In Doc Martens Heel

To get over the issue with heel pain from Doc Martens there are a couple of things that you can do.

Firstly you can think about either taking out the inserts of the Doc Martens if they are removable or alternatively putting an insert or orthotic inside the boot if there is room to change the position of your foot.

By changing the point where your heel touches the inside of your boot or shoe you can reduce friction and prevent the rubbing.

Alternatively, start wearing two pairs of socks instead of one. This prevents friction and helps to protect your foot as you are moving and walking.

Helping Doc Martens Heel Blisters

If you get the slightest hint of the heel rubbing against the inner lining of your shoes or boots then whatever you do put on a blister plaster as soon as you can.

Don’t do what my husband did and keep on wearing his shoes until his heel was an open wound. This is a great way to get an infection.

Blister plasters not only act as a barrier to protect your feet but they also help promote healing as well. Wear the plasters until you have broken in your Docs or substitute them for moleskin if you haven’t broken your skin.

Doc Martens Rubbing Back of Ankle Solutions

The ankle is another area where people tend to find that they can get painful feet. I

Doc Martens shoes are likely to hit the ankle section of your foot and if the leather isn’t particularly soft it can scrape the skin and cause pain.

Heel cushions or heel insert cups are one way to combat this but they both do slightly different jobs.

Heel cups raise and protect your foot a little higher which means that the bony section of your ankle doesn’t keep hitting the back of your shoes. If you have room in your shoes or boots this can stop Doc Martens Hurting.

Alternatively, heel cushions which I prefer are stuck to the back of your shoe and do exactly what the name suggests. They cushion the back of your ankle and stop it scraping along the back of the shoe. These are really cheap and easy to fit and should do the trick, especially during the break-in period.

 

The Cushioning Isn’t Good Enough

My personal experience with Doc Martens Hurting however had nothing to do with ankle, heels, or the leather in any way. My issue was I found the insoles of the shoes too hard for my feet. I felt like I was walking around on concrete despite their famous air-cushioned soles.

It doesn’t help that I have flat feet and am particularly sensitive to shoes that don’t have super comfortable cushioning.

Orthotics and cushioned insoles were the only things that helped me with this problem. They enabled me to walk more comfortably and stopped the foot pain I was getting on the soles of my feet. If you have a similar problem make sure you buy a pair of Docs that can accommodate any device you need to insert into their footwear.

So why do Doc Martens hurt? Well as you can see there can be lots of different reasons why their footwear can cause problems. The key to resolving the issue is checking your sizing first and then if that is ok move on to breaking the shoes in.

If after a reasonable break-in period using the tips I’ve given you isn’t enough you need to identify the specific area of the shoes or boots that are causing issues and work on those.

 

 

 

More Info About The Brand

Are Doc Martens Good for Walking All Day?

Do Doc Martens Stretch Out?

Are Doc Martens Good for Winter?

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