The quest for the ideal pair of shoes is crucial to maintaining foot health and overall comfort and support, and more importantly, reduces the risk of foot injuries. Whether you are an avid athlete, a fashion enthusiast, or looking for everyday comfort, choosing the proper footwear is essential. This guide will explore key factors to consider when selecting shoes that suit your feet, ensuring a perfect fit for every occasion. Here are some valuable tips from Jackie Tey, Chief Podiatrist from Straits Podiatry.
Before diving into the shoe selection process, it's essential to understand your foot type. Consider factors such as arch height, foot width, and any specific conditions or discomfort you may experience. Knowing your feet well is the first step in finding the perfect pair of shoes.
Individuals with flat feet have low or no arches, and their ankles roll inwards excessively (overpronation) when they walk. For mild-to-moderate flat feet, stability shoes are recommended as they are designed to reduce the amount of pronation. Reducing pronation helps to reduce the stress on the bones, joints, tendons, and muscles. For severely flat feet, look for shoes with motion-control features, such as a firm midsole and a stiff heel counter to help stabilise the feet. Also, shoes for flat feet should come with a straight last (the shape of the shoe) to provide more support for your flat feet. The shape of the last determines the shape of the shoe and the type of foot or function best suited to that shoe. Straight-lasted shoes fit a wider, rectangle-shaped foot that is extremely flat, with a low or collapsed arch.
Individuals with high arch feet have well-defined arches such that only the heel and the ball of the feet touch the ground. For high-arch feet, we generally recommend shoes with good cushioning properties. Look for shoes with a curved last that contours the foot and helps better distribute pressure across the foot. Adding cushioned insoles into the shoes can also help provide extra comfort.
Choosing the correct shoe width can help prevent common foot conditions such as bunions and Morton's neuroma. Individuals with wide feet should look for shoes with a wider toe box, such as shoes with a rounded or square toe box. Also, shoes with a softer upper can help accommodate the shape of your foot. It is essential to avoid buying a larger shoe size just to fit the width of your feet. Most people need to learn that there are different sizes for the width. For ladies, wide-fitting shoes are labelled as "D" width, and for men, look for "2E" or "4E".
Everyone's feet are unique, so it is essential to try on shoes and see how they feel before buying. Therefore, we generally do not recommend buying shoes online. If you have a specific foot condition, deformity, or injury, it is best to consult with a Podiatrist or healthcare professional for personalised shoe recommendations.
Featured Contributor:
Straits Podiatry
Jackie Tey
Chief Podiatrist
Straits Podiatry is one of the services under the Healthway Medical Group Allied Health Division, started by a pair of professionals who are deeply passionate about providing high-quality podiatric care without compromising on ethics, value, or integrity. We aim to lead the profession by upholding the highest moral standards through our podiatric care.
We are family-oriented and know how important it is to select the right clinicians for our family members. Hence, we strive to treat every patient with the same attention to detail as if they were our family members. We see a wide age range of patients from infancy to the elderly with any ailment affecting the lower limb, including the toes, feet, ankles, knees, or hips. We investigate the root cause of the issue and then employ non-invasive techniques to heal then prevent the problem
from returning. We hope you will trust us on your journey to recovery!
Connect with Straits Podiatry and learn more on their website, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn and YouTube.
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