Choosing the right shoes for your feet
Choosing the right shoes means matching the shoe to your foot shape, your activities and the season. Comfort in the store matters more than any break-in promise, because shoes that feel wrong on day one stay wrong. Fiona Shepes offers footwear advice and biomechanical assessment at The Fresh Foot Centre in Narre Warren.
What to look for in a shoe
Look for these features before you buy any shoe:
- Try shoes late in the day, when your feet are at their largest, and wear the socks you plan to wear in them.
- Leave about a thumbnail's length between your longest toe and the end of the shoe.
- Check the width at the ball of the foot. It should be snug, not tight.
- Your heel and midfoot should sit deep enough in the shoe that they cannot slip.
- Choose soft, stable materials and a shoe that feels relatively light.
- Make sure the shoe feels comfortable when you stand. A shoe that is uncomfortable standing will not improve with walking.
Fitting shoes properly
Fitting shoes properly starts in the store, not after you get home. Shoes do not break in, so a poor fit on the shelf will stay a poor fit on your feet. Check the length, the width at the ball of the foot and the hold around the heel before you buy. A foot that slips inside the shoe causes rubbing, blisters and corns, especially with side to side movement. Fiona can check how your foot sits in a shoe during a biomechanical assessment at either clinic.
Shoes for sport and golf
Sport places extra demands on your feet, and golf is a good example. A round of 18 holes involves several kilometres of walking, and each foot moves differently during the swing. The back foot allows more pronation through the follow through than the front foot, and that motion repeated over time can lead to overuse problems such as heel pain, Achilles tendinopathy, ball of foot pain and shin splints. A well fitted athletic shoe with soft, stable, light construction can help. Golf shoes that allow multiple spike placement may help with pain across the ball of the foot. Fiona offers custom orthotics and stretching programs for golfers whose foot shape adds strain to the swing.
Summer footwear and thongs
Summer footwear brings its own risks. Thongs and strappy sandals let your feet breathe, but they offer little support and often cause blisters where the straps rub. Feet swell in the heat, which makes any rub worse. High heels and wedges push the ball of the foot toward the ground, which can lead to ball of foot pain and, over time, to bunions and hammertoes. Save your strappiest shoes for cooler days and wear supportive flats when it is humid. Do not walk barefoot around public pools, bathrooms and showers, because these places can expose your feet to fungal infections.
When shoes are not enough
Sometimes the right shoe alone cannot fix the problem. Flat feet, high arches and bunions change how a shoe sits on your foot, and these structural problems can aggravate pain even in well fitted shoes. Fiona can assess your feet and lower legs, then advise on custom orthotics or semi-custom orthotics alongside footwear changes. Book at our online booking page and save $10 on the initial consultation, or call the Narre Warren clinic on (03) 8609 8885.
Questions
What are the best shoes for foot pain?
The best shoes for foot pain are supportive, well fitting shoes with soft stable materials and enough room at the ball of the foot. Shoes should hold the heel without slipping. Fiona can assess your feet and advise on specific footwear for your foot type.
How do I know if a shoe fits properly?
Check that you have about a thumbnail's length between your longest toe and the end of the shoe. The width should be snug but not tight at the ball of the foot, and your heel should not slip. Try shoes late in the day with the socks you will normally wear.
Should I size up if a shoe feels tight?
No. Shoes do not break in, so a tight shoe in the store stays tight on your feet. A narrow or tight shoe can aggravate corns, blisters and bunions. Choose a shoe that feels comfortable when you first stand in it, or ask Fiona for footwear advice at your consultation.