An uncomfortable pair of shoes is miserable to wear, no matter how beautiful they look. Shoes should protect our feet and support them. Well-fitted shoes allow our feet to move naturally and give support to our whole body. Our feet work hard, especially if we have jobs that involve standing or walking for long periods. So finding shoes online or in local shoe stores that fit perfectly can really add to our overall wellbeing.

A Perfect Fit

Shoes that fit well protect your feet and ensure your comfort. But fitting means more than being able to get your foot into the shoe! What makes for a great fit? A few things actually…

Long enough – Stand flat on your feet and also on tip toe. You shouldn’t feel your toes pushing against the tip of the shoe. You should have a tiny gap between your longest toe and the shoe.

Wide enough – If the toe box isn’t wide enough, your feet really can suffer from your toes being squashed together. It’s not only uncomfortable, it can lead to problems such as bunions, nail problems or in extreme cases nerve damage.

Well-secured – While you want to have adequate room in your shoes, you don’t want them to be too loose. Make sure they have laces, Velcro straps or other secure fastenings that allow you to make them snug enough across the top of your foot. A loose shoe can rub and cause blisters.

To make sure that the shoes you buy really fit perfectly, try them on with the type of socks or hosiery you plan to wear with them and walk around the shoe store a bit. Stand on your tiptoes, then sit down and flex your feet. Consider the material of the shoe. Leather will stretch a bit, but synthetic materials usually won’t.

It helps to have your feet measured when you are in shoe stores. Our feet do change size, often getting slightly larger as we age. Going in the late afternoon will mean you’ve been on your feet more, and our feet expand during the day. This will help you avoid buying shoes that are too small. Remember that sizes vary between brands. Once you know your current size in a particular brand, it is safe enough to buy those shoes online.

Heels for Healthy Feet

High heels can look amazing, no denying that! But like many fun things, the key is to enjoy them in moderation. Wearing a pair of stilettos for a few hours a couple of evenings a week is unlikely to do any harm, but they aren’t everyday footwear. Treat your feet well after wearing high heels. Wear flat shoes with a thick, cushy sole the next day.

For shoes that you’ll wear all day, look for a low, wide heel. It helps to avoid wearing the same shoes every day. When you mix it up, not only do you vary your look, you change the pressures and demands on the various muscles in your feet. That helps you avoid the strain and damage that can come from using muscles in the same way over and over.

For shoes that you’ll wear all day, look for a low, wide heel. It helps to avoid wearing the same shoes every day. When you mix it up, not only do you vary your look, you change the pressures and demands on the various muscles in your feet. That helps you avoid the strain and damage that can come from using muscles in the same way over and over.