Wearing the correct footwear is very important to protect and support your feet.
What to look for:
- Shoes should be wide and deep at the toe box, to give your toes plenty of room.
- The heel of the shoe should be firm when squeezed.
- The toe box should bend as this is where our feet naturally bend when we walk
- Shoes should be supportive and have a velcro strap or lace, to secure your foot within the shoe reducing friction and blisters.
Trying on new shoes:
- Then purchasing shoes you should always try them on and walk about the shop in them
- Feeling around the toe box ensuring you can’t feel your toes pressing/bulging
- Approximately 1cm gap from top of toe to the top of the shoe
- Foot should be held securely within the shoe once fastened
- They should be free from any prominent stitching on the inside which may cause rubbing.
- Shoes should not need to be ‘broken in’
Top tip
Tracing around your foot with a pen and paper and cutting it out gives you an idea of your foot shape & size. You can bring this template with you better visualise if the shoe will be a good fit for you.
What to avoid
Sandals, flip flops, high heels, narrow and slip on shoes should be avoided as these increase the risk of causing painful feet.
Insoles
If you have insoles for your shoes, look for shoes were the insole already in the shoe can easily be removed. Then place your insoles into the shoe.
If the inner shoe insole is not removable, place the insole in and try on ensuring it is not too tight a fit.