Secrets to Sizing Shoes

We were met with a great question today involving the sizing of shoes. Sizing shoes is important because improperly fitted shoes can cause or worsen existing foot problems like bunions, hammertoes, plantar fasciitis, stress fractures, ingrown toenails, corns, calluses and even fungal infections. So how do you avoid causing or complicating these and other problems? Follow these tips for sizing shoes.

1. Try on all shoes. You should try on every pair of shoes you wear. Be sure to try on shoes the way you would wear them: lace and tie them completely, wear the kind of socks you would wear with those shoes, and wear any orthotics or other corrective ankle/foot braces when trying on shoes. You need to know how your shoes will fit every day, which means trying them on in real scenarios. Do not assume because you have shoes from that manufacturer already that these new shoes will fit. Even among the same manufacturer sizes vary from style to style. Your feet can also change over time, and your shoe size along with it. Shoes should leave about a half inch from your longest toe (which is the second toe and not the big toe for many people) to the end of the shoe, and they should have enough width for your toes to fit comfortably without pressure. Be sure to actually try on the shoes.

2. Measure your feet. Having a trained professional around to help you measure your feet is a great step in buying shoes. A brannock device is the name of the tool used to help indicate your shoe size. But remember, even this method is fallible, and the person reading the machine for you could make a mistake. Also, shoe size varies based on manufacturer and style. If you don't have access to a brannock device, have a friend or relative trace your feet while you stand on them with even pressure. You can compare this diagram to the sole of a shoe to get a rough idea if they will be the right size for your foot. You still need to try on any shoes before you buy them.

3. Buy shoes in the afternoon or evening. As the day progresses, your feet will swell as more of your blood flow concentrates into your lower appendages. This is natural, and how your body's fluids are distributed as you spend more of the day upright. This helps you buy shoes that are the correct size for you at all times of the day.

4. Take a walk. Walking around the store in a new pair of shoes will give you a better idea if you would like to buy them or not. Lace and tie them completely and move around the store. Pay attention to places where the shoes rub or feel uncomfortable. These may lead to blisters. You can also tell if there will be tight spots anywhere on the shoes. Do not assume that the shoes will stretch out, in most cases they won't. You should buy shoes that are already comfortable and that fit well. This will prevent blisters and other problems. Do not assume that you need to "break in" shoes, if they fit correctly you can avoid a "break in" period. Try to simulate some of the movement you will be doing in those shoes: if they are basketball shoes, do some jumping in place; for cross trainers, try some lateral motion.

5. Keep use in mind. You have different shoes for different purposes: exercising, work, casual and going out. Think about the demands an activity has on your feet and what this requires of your shoes. You would not buy high heels to go to the gym in. Making sure you are using the right shoe for an activity will keep your feet healthy in the long run. If the shoes you are looking at do not meet the needs for the activity, do not buy them. Find another pair which will meet the demands of your lifestyle. You should also rotate the kind of shoes you wear. Sure you need nice shoes for work, but give your feet support and comfort with an athletic shoe when exercising or doing house work. Remember that although high heels are fun are good looking, they should not be worn often as they can be quite bad for your feet.

6. Don't get over-committed. Just because you like a shoe's style, color, etc. is not a good reason to buy it. Buying shoes is fun and exciting, but getting carried away will not help your foot health. If you buy the shoes you love but do not fit right, you will be disappointed. They will cause pain and discomfort, and you will not want to wear them. Not only will could they damage your feet, but now you have shoes that you don't or can't wear taking up space in your closet and costing you money. Ask the clerk for a different size or even if they can order a pair in the size you want. Don't be afraid to shop around for the right size or even try to order the shoe in the right size online. You will be happier with shoes you love that also fit perfectly.

7. Ordering online. Ordering shoes online can help you save time, money and increase the selection of shoes before you. But when you order shoes online, you cannot try them on before you purchase them. When ordering off the internet, try to stick to manufacturers that your know. If you always wear a certain size with a manufacturer, you have the best chance of being close with another pair. Styles and sizes do fluctuate even within a manufacturer, so it is no guarantee that a new pair will fit or that your feet are exactly the same size and/or shape. You should also stick with a manufacturer or distributor that you are familiar with and can trust. If your shoes do not fit correctly, this will make the return/exchange process much easier. You are also entrusting the company with your credit card or other payment information. Working through an established manufacturer or distributor is the best way to ensure that you receive excellent customer service. Make sure that shoes you buy from the internet fit correctly when you receive them so you can return them promptly and before the return deadline.

8. Special interests. There are certain groups who have special interests when it comes to purchasing shoes. Anyone who needs and orthotic, brace or other supportive device needs to keep this in mind when buying shoes. The device and your foot needs to be able to fit comfortably in your shoes. Patients with conditions like bunions, corns, bad calluses and hammer toes may find shoes uncomfortable and need to buy larger or wider sizes. If you are prone to recurring ingrown toenails, you should evaluate your shoes carefully. Adequate room will help reduce the recurrence of ingrown toenails. And diabetics or others with neuropathy or reduced circulation may need to consider therapeutic shoes. These shoes are custom molded to your feet and meet a high set of standards in materials used. They leave extra depth for orthotics and other inserts and have a larger toe box to allow adequate room for your toes. This will help prevent you from getting problems like blisters and ulcers which take longer to heal in patients with poor circulation.

If you have any questions about shoe sizing or setting up an appointment for diabetic shoes, contact our office. If you would like to be added to our "Top Shoes" list- our quarterly list of shoes that we recommend to patients for various uses and activities- you can click this link to our website: http://www.vailfoot.com/top-shoes-list.html