At Superior Foot & Ankle Care Center, we know that fashion boots are popular among our patients. Although this type of footwear can be a stylish accessory to your fall clothes, they need to be designed with the health of your foot in mind and also fit properly, just like any shoes you buy. Below are some tips to remember when purchasing new boots or evaluating the ones currently in your closet.

• Take foot disorders into consideration. If you have a chronic podiatric problem such as weak ankles or plantar fasciitis, you’ll need to choose boots that will accommodate your condition. If you haven’t been to our Long Beach office recently, it may be a good idea to make an appointment with our podiatrists, Victoria M. Foley or Dr. Constance Ornelas to have your condition checked. The foot doctor monitors the progression of any chronic foot condition and can also make recommendations for footwear styles that will be best for your individual feet.
• Choose styles with roomy toe boxes. Pointy boots, just like pointy shoes, cram your toes together exacerbating and speeding the progression of toe deformities like hammertoe. Toes that spend too much time pushed up against one another are also more likely to develop ingrown toenails.
• Exercise heel smarts. The heel on your boot will impact stability and comfort. Don’t exceed two inches in heel height. Wide heels will help you avoid slips and ankle twisting injuries. The heel cup should fit snugly and ideally will have some cushioning to help absorb shock.
• Get support. Many patients wonder why their heels hurt at the end of boot season. It’s because many fashion boots contain little or no arch support. When your arch goes flat, it puts excess strain on the ligament on the bottom of your foot and can cause plantar fasciitis which leads to heel pain.
• Have your foot professionally measured. If one foot is larger than the other, buy to accommodate the bigger foot. Always try on both boots and walk around for several minutes to determine if they fit comfortably. Shopping at the end of the day when your feet are the most swollen is likely to result in boots that will be comfortable all day.

If you have specific questions about your feet Superior Foot & Ankle Care can help with any foot conditions you may have in the Long Beach office in Douglas Park CA, contact us.