With footwear becoming more of a fashion statement in today’s society, finding the right fit for you has never been more crucial. Poor fitting footwear can often result in pain in your feet, ankles, knees, and hips. Moreover, poor fitting footwear can also lead to deformities such as bunions, claw toes, hammer toes, and mallet toes. That’s why getting footwear advice and finding the right shoe to wear is important in maintaining healthy feet and staying injury free.
Here is our top footwear advice:
- A firm heel counter. You should not be able to press the back of the shoe inwards. A firm heel counter locks the foot into the shoe and anchors it to the midsole.
- Low levels of torque. You should not be able to twist the shoe and fold on itself too much. Having small amounts of torque improves medial and lateral stability in a shoe.
- Level of flex. The shoe should only flex where the toes bend in the foot. Naturally the foot only bends where the toes begin, therefore a shoe should replicate this to accommodate for movement. Flexion anywhere else in the shoe may indicate less structural support.
- Correct fit. The shoe should be wide and long enough at the toes, preventing any squishing/crushing forces at the forefoot. Prolonged periods of wearing tight-fitting shoes may result in deformities in the toes and/or forefoot injuries. The shoe width should be a thumb’s width longer than your longest toe, allowing for extra movement and reducing pressures on joints, skin and nails.
- The shoe should be fastened with some form of laces, belt, strap or buckle to reduce movement within the shoe and fix your foot in place.
- A maximum heel drop of 10-20mm will allow for optimal ankle joint movement. Therefore, anything higher than this will result in too much pressure being placed on the forefoot.
- Adequate arch support. Depending on your foot posture, your shoe may require support around the medial arch region to reduce pronatory forces. If unsure you should seek assistance from an experienced shoe salesperson or a podiatrist.
- Removable innersoles. If you wear innersoles or custom foot orthotics, ensure that the shoe has removable innersoles to allow for room for the orthotic. Be sure to bring your orthotics with you when trying on shoes.
With these tips you should be able to find a shoe that keeps your feet healthy and moving pain free. However, if you would like further footwear advice or any other foot and ankle advice feel free to book an appointment with us.
At TFC Podiatry Yarraville, we work closely with the team at the Running Company and can provide a referral to help find you your perfect running shoe.
