Selecting the Best Shoes for Your Feet

Are you tired of having sore, achy feet? Does there seem to be nothing medically wrong with your feet? Then it’s possible you could be wearing shoes that aren’t suited for your feet.

Here are some tips on how you can find the best shoes for your feet, so that you can move around comfortably throughout the day without any foot pain.

Tips on How to Find the Right Shoes

When shopping for the right pair of shoes, you need to keep function and comfort in mind, as well as fashion. These tips can help you choose the right shoes that will help keep your feet in good shape:

1. Trace your foot—place any shoe that you might buy on top of your foot tracing. If the shoe is shorter or narrower than the tracing, don’t bother trying it on.
2. Measure your foot—feet change with age, often growing larger and wider, so you should have your feet measured every time you buy new shoes. If one foot is larger than the other, buy a size that fits the larger foot.
3. Shop in the afternoon—because your feet can swell as much as eight percent throughout the day, the best time to buy shoes is at the end of the day to account for the largest possible size your feet will reach.
4. Socks—wear the same type of socks to the store that you intend to wear with the shoes.
5. Stand in the shoes—you should have half an inch of space between your toe and the end of the shoe when you’re standing, in order to provide enough room for your foot to press forward when you walk. Wiggle your toes to make sure there’s enough room.
6. Walk in the shoes—walk around to determine how the shoes feel. Find shoes that fit from the start, not shoes that need to be “broken in.”
7. Trust your comfort level—shoes sizes vary between manufacturers, so don’t exclusively depend on the shoe’s noted size or description.
8. Pay attention to width and length—if the ball of your foot feels compressed in a particular shoe, ask if it comes in a wider size. Buying shoes that are half a size bigger won’t necessarily solve the problem.
9. Feel inside the shoe—check the shoe for any tags, seams, or other material that may irritate your foot.
10. Examine the soles—take note of how they feel when you walk around the store. Try to walk on hard surfaces as well as carpet to see how the shoe feels on both.
11. Examine the upper part of the shoes—the top of the shoes should be made of a soft, flexible material to match the shape of your foot. Shoes made of leather can reduce the possibility of skin irritations.

Understanding the Parts of the Shoe

Understanding the different parts of the shoe can help you choose what type of shoe will work best for your feet. The different parts of the shoe include:

• Toe box—the front area of the shoe where the toes rest. The deeper the toe box, the more room for your toes.
• Vamp—covers the top part of the foot at the midsection of the shoe (where the laces are). The vamp should fit snuggly, holding the foot firmly, yet comfortably in place.
• Counter—the back of the shoe that holds the heel in place. A stiff counter offers greater heel control and stability.
• Last—the solid, foot-shaped form (usually made from dense plastic) that the manufacturer uses to create a shoe. There are three categories of lasts: straight, semi-curved, and curved.
• Insole—the inside of the shoe where the main part of the foot rests. Shoes that have removable insoles provide greater flexibility as they can be removed or replaced with a cushioned insole or orthotic.
• Shank—is located under the arch of the foot. The stiffer the shank, the more support it provides.
• Midsole­—the material that sits between the upper or top section of the shoe and the outer sole. The softer the material, the more shock absorption in the shoe.
• Outsole—the hard bottom of the shoe (typically made from leather, blown rubber, or man-made materials). It is important to make sure that the shape of the outsole conforms to your foot.

Schedule a Consultation

If you find that changing up the style of your shoes doesn’t help with your foot pain, then you should seek out help from an experienced podiatrist. Book a consultation with Dr. Vikki and Dr. Connie today, so that they can help you get to the bottom of your foot pain.