Man undergoes toe amputation due to a common yet overlooked health risk

Wearing the wrong shoe size can apparently cost you more than just discomfort, it could lead to something even worse- your leg getting amputated.

Martin Ralph, a UK man had to have a part of his foot amputated after wearing fitted wedding shoes that were too tight. The 61-year-old was provided with the new pair of orthotic footwear in time for his big day on July 27, 2019, Mirror UK reported.

Despite his complaints of them being too small and uncomfortable, he was reassured by NHS staff that they just needed "breaking in." Thus, he wore the shoes to his wedding but due to the agony had to change out of them a few hours in.

A few weeks later, he developed an abscess on his right toe for which he went to the hospital. The dead tissue was removed and his toe was washed out. However, it exposed the first joint and thus the toe was amputated.

He claims his feet were incorrectly measured three times and when he raised concerns, he was told they just needed "wearing in."

The NHS made the wrong measurements

“I had measurements taken at Amersham Hospital but they were measured too small," said the grandfather of five.

"I told them at the time of the fitting that they were too small. Three times I went back but I was told by the lady who did the measurements I just had to wear them in. Halfway through the wedding day one foot was getting particularly sore. I had to change into my boots."

“Orthotic boots are what I normally wear but I wanted to wear a shoe for my wedding. I was delighted to get them in time as I had been waiting months for them. When I tried the shoes again, even going out the door, I was struggling. Whenever I came home it was a relief to take them off, it was that tight," he added.

His toe was three times its size

When Martin took his socks his toe was three times its size. It wasn't until a few weeks later that he noticed a blister on his foot that gradually got worse.

The blister later became infected and began to spread up his right leg and Martin says he also warned his leg might need amputating too. “The doctor said it was infected and we got antibiotics but then this red line started to appear and it went up my leg."

"They said I was either going to lose my toe or my leg. They got me in the ward and said they were going to clean it. When I woke up it was painful. They told me it was too far gone and that they had to amputate my toe. When they pulled the cover back you could see the bone."

Over the next four years, the dad of four faced further troubles with his foot and ended up losing three more toes. The man who formerly owned a cleaning business is now unable to work, faces pain and can't walk unaided.