Every day, you walk on your feet, pushing them to bear the weight of your body. Over time, repeated stress on your feet can cause harm and the wrong shoes will only aggravate existing foot problems. Investing in proper footwear will help protect your feet which is why it’s essential to know how to choose the right shoes. On that note, read our tips and tricks below to find shoes that suit you best, as good shoes take you to good places.
1. Go Shoe Hunting After Lunch Time
You may believe that the time of day you go shoe shopping is unimportant, but you would be mistaken. Many people who try on shoes in the morning find the seemingly right match in the shop, only to realize they are too tight or too narrow after a test run.
Since your feet gradually swell throughout the day, it is important to try on shoes when your feet are at their widest. Tight shoes are not only painful, but evidence suggests that wearing shoes that are too narrow will lead to foot deformities over time such as bunions, corns, and calluses.
2. Get to Know Your Feet
We certainly all have toes and heels, but far from that, feet have various and different forms, and it is important for us to pick the most suitable pair of shoes to know our foot’s particular quirks. Most big brands now have a standard to suit any foot style, a great example of this is western style shoes.
If your footprint reveals the whole sole with the curve pretty much being nonexistent or if the interior of your show clearly shows excessive use, it means you have low bends or flat feet and appear to overpronate. That means that your feet roll inwards. Excessive wear on the outside heel and inside the forefoot may cause additional wear. You want footwear with maximal support and motion control function.
There is a popular test that can help you determine the form of your foot, it happens to be the wet test. Simply leave an imprint of the shape of your foot by soaking it in some water so that it’s wet enough and place it on brown paper, and there your go! Alternatively, take a look at the bottoms of your shoes, because this would probably be the highest stress point as they hit first when you walk.
If your footprint only reveals a part of your heel and forefoot with a tight relation between the 2, or if they show that they are wearing away more on the outer side, you have high arches and underpronation (also known as supinate), meaning your feet roll on the outer side. Underpronation induces wear on the heel’s and little toe’s outer side. Look for a shoe with a comfortable midsole that is cushioned. If your footprint has a visible curve on the inside and your shoes wear thin at the same pace, you have a neutral arch. Search for a stable shoe with a good balance of cushioning and bracing.
3. Pick Shoes Depending on Activity
Check your heel and foot for a lightweight shoe and extra shock absorption. These traits work for footwear for all occasions and for shoes designed for walking. These characteristics can help minimize heel pain and burning. Some walkers prefer a rounded shoe or a rocker shoe so that they can change weight quickly.
Look for the general shock absorption and a strong torsional force (which means that the shoe shouldn’t twirl easily) if you need running shoes and prefer a conventional shoe. These characteristics can help protect yourself against splints of the skin, tendonitis, and heel pain.
4. Have Your Usual Socks on
Wear the socks you expect to wear when you are training while you try on shoes. You never know how the sample socks are in the shop. They may be big, bulky wool socks, or extra thin boots. They can negatively affect the shoe size you buy if they’re not like the socks you wear when you work out.
You might not know if a shoe rubs the back of the knee uncomfortably if you’re still wearing low-cut boots when running but try your shoes on with a high-cut crew sock.
Remember that you should not compromise comfort for fashion. Make sure to always try on as many shoes as you can to find your most suitable pair, that does match both of your fashion and comfort senses. If you ever feel like you’re facing issues when wearing or trying on multiple types of shoes, do not hesitate to see a podiatrist. A podiatrist is a medical professional who specializes in the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of foot and ankle diseases and injuries. Many people do not visit a podiatrist until they have a foot or ankle injury that necessitates specialized treatment, so why wait if you can avoid any similar situations?
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