Did you ever buy a pair of shoes that were comfortable in the store, but once you were home, especially in the evenings, they were suddenly too tight?
We advise trying on shoes during the afternoon, when the foot is less swollen.
How to fit a shoe to your feet? Check whether your toe reaches the end of the shoe. If not, it's not the proper fit. Once you place your heel in the back of the shoe and when the foot rests there, the wide part of the foot should be on the wide part of the shoe. Then the toes will reach the proper spot. Check that back doesn’t chafe the back part of the leg or the heel.
Shoes should not be elastic – on the contrary, the bottom of the shoe should be stiff to provide proper support for the foot. It should only bend where the foot bends.
And what about the height of the heel? Both women and men benefit from walking on heels are up to five centimeters (two inches). Higher heels change how the foot functions and can cause back pain and spinal column problems. Even with platform shoes, the heel and the platform should not be higher than five centimeters (two inches).
Remember – a shoe that isn't comfortable in the store won't be comfortable at home either. Don’t trust those who say: “The shoe will stretch once you wear it.”
If the shoes are not comfortable, don’t buy them, regardless of how much you like them.
This Health Tip courtesy of Dr. Eli London, Department of Orthopedic Surgery.