What shoes should I wear?
Being a physical therapist, I often get asked about the shoes people are wearing and if they’re “good” or not. It’s so important to take care of your feet starting at a young age. Unlike some other areas of the body, feet cannot be replaced with a new pair. Even if you do not experience foot pain right now, it is good to understand the short and long-term health affects poor footwear can have not just on your feet, but also on other parts of your body. Some health concerns include plantar fasciitis, bunions, hammer toes, calluses, blisters, athlete’s foot, heel spurs, ingrown toenails, collapsed arches, back pain, and various joint pain (hips, knees, feet) – to name a few. Here are some tips on how to pick out the appropriate pair of shoes for yourself.
1. What is the function of a shoe?
A shoe has three main functions: to protect, to allow us to walk, and to provide comfort. A shoe should not impede on any of these. If it is, it is a poor fitting shoe and is probably not the best option.
2. Make sure they’re supportive
Do the bend test. If you can grab your shoe and completely bend it in half, the shoe does not have very good plantar surface and arch support. The shoe should have a firm midsole that does not easily bend. Think of where your foot naturally bends, at the base of your toes (or ball of your foot). That is where your shoe should be flexible and bend.
3. Things to look for in a shoe
There are a couple other things you want to consider when picking out a shoe. 1. Make sure there is enough room in the toe box and that you are not feeling squished. Not having enough room in this area can cause different paresthesia concerns (numbness/tingling). 2. Make sure the heel cup is sturdy and there is a slight elevation (3/4 – 1.5 inches) to help with excessive strain on your Achilles tendon and other joints in your foot. A completely flat shoe and unstable/flexible heel cup can cause excess stress and strain on these areas. 3. Make sure there is adequate cushion. Most of the time we are wearing shoes for several hours at a time. Increased cushion will help provide more shock absorption to the balls of your feet and heels while walking or standing for prolonged periods of time.
4. Should I wear inserts?
If you are someone with flat feet (low to no arch even without weightbearing), seem to walk on the inside of your feet (pronate – falling arch or flat foot with weightbearing) or even on the outside of your feet (supinate – definite arch) you may benefit from a pair of inserts to help support the natural structure of your feet. You often can tell a lot about how you walk by looking at the soles of your shoes to see where they are worn the most. Inserts (AKA orthotics) can be as simple as buying them over the counter. Typically, it is not necessary to get a custom pair unless you have a significant foot deformity. One suggestion I give to my patient’s is go to your local Walmart or Target and stand on a Dr. Scholl’s machine to help guide you into the appropriate pair. OR, you can go to your physical therapist and they can suggest an appropriate style and fit. At Live In Motion we use Superfeet.
5. How often to wear a certain style
It is probably unlikely that you’re always going to be wearing a good supportive shoe. Because let’s be honest, some of our favorite pairs of shoes probably do not offer the best support. The key to this is understanding when to wear them and when to opt out. If you have a long day at work and you’re going to be standing on a hard surface most of the day, this probably isn’t an appropriate time to wear a new pair of heels or a cute pair of ballerina flats. A better option would be a pair of tennis shoes that offer appropriate support, so your feet aren’t killing you by the end of the day. If you’re going to a late-night function and you’ll be sitting most of the night, then by all means wear those cute shoes!
References:
- Cook, J (2018, May 07). Are your shoes giving you a health problem? Retrieved December 3, 2018, from https://www.netdoctor.co.uk/healthy-living/wellbeing/a26805/shoes-affect-you-health/
- Bruno, M., BScPT, Cped. (2014). Orthotics or not? That is the questions. Retrieved December 3, 2018, from http://thesolemate.com/articles/orthotics-or-not.html
- Foot Anatomy: Your Amazing Feet. (2010, October 04). Retrieved December 3, 2018, from https://www.everydayhealth.com/foot-health-pictures/common-foot-problems.aspx#05