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Happy Feet! - Foot Care Advice for Walkers & Travelers

Footwear and Fit

Well fitting shoes are key to maintaining healthy feet during your sporting adventure. When buying shoes, the shoe should always conform to the shape of your feet--your feet should never be forced to conform to the shape of a pair of shoes.

Fit can be achieved with a little common sense and a bit of luck. The luck part is easiest to explain. Out of all shoes to choose from, there is more than one brand and style that will fit your feet. The luck part is finding the one or two that fit you best. The common sense comes in when you try the shoes on your feet. Here are the top 15 tips to get the best fit.

1. The shoes should feel comfortable--sometimes the difference between several pairs of shoes is amazing--don't save a buck at the expense of your feet.
2. Use shoe-buying guides as just that--a guide--do not eliminate a shoe from your consideration until you have tried it on.
3. Try on shoes at the end of the day because your feet normally swell and become larger after standing and sitting during the day.
4. Fit new shoes to your larger foot. Have your feet sized each time you buy new footwear.
5. There should be no discomfort in any part of the shoe's fit.
6. The arch of each foot should be supported without being too high for your foot type.
7. Try on and fully lace both shoes.
8. The tops of your feet should not be pinched when the shoes are laced properly.
9. The fit of the shoe should come from the shoes themselves, not from tying the laces.
10. The shoes should fit well with the same type of socks you will be wearing when you walk.
11. Your toes should have plenty of room to move and wiggle and the toe box should not be too short in height or length. Aim for a least 1/2 to 1 inch of space between your longest toe and the front inside of the shoe.
12. Your heels should be snug in the heel of the shoe and should have very little up and down movement.
13. If the insoles that come in the shoe are weak and flimsy, replace them when you are buying the shoes--get a pair that provides support and cushioning.
14. If you will be using orthotics or special insoles, be sure they fit in the shoe without pushing your foot too high in the shoe's upper, or too far forward.
15. Feel around the inside of the shoe for rough spots at the seams or stitching inside the shoes.

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