Put on your dancing shoes, oh! wait! you don’t have the right one. This week lets look at shopping for shoes, you want to have more than fashion in mind — you will also want to consider keeping your feet in good shape.
According to experts, putting on the wrong kind of footwear increases the chances of discomfort and pain in the feet and back.
With so many varieties available, how do you choose which shoes are right for you?
A report by website www.gulfnewshealth.com states that incorrect footwear can cause major back and joint pain, so shoe brands are creating products that ensure healthy feet. “When someone complains of foot pain, it means that something is happening in terms of the interaction of the foot’s internal structures or how the foot is relating to something externally,” the report states.
The report adds that the way people walk could also have an impact on the foot’s health.
At a Glance
10 tips for finding the right shoes
1.Take a tracing of your foot with you. Place any shoe you think you might buy on top of the tracing. If the shoe is narrower or shorter than the tracing, don’t even try it on.
2.Shop for shoes during the afternoon — your foot naturally expands with use during the day.
3.Wear the same type of socks to the store that you intend to wear with the shoes.
4.Have a salesperson measure both of your feet — and get measured every time you buy new shoes. Feet change with age, often growing larger and wider. If one foot is larger than the other, buy a size that fits the larger foot.
5.Stand in the shoes. Press gently on the top of the shoe to make sure you have about a half-inch of space between your longest toe and the end of the shoe. This provides enough room for your foot to press forward as you walk.
Wiggle your toes to make sure there’s enough room.
6.Walk around in the shoes to determine how they feel. Is there enough room at the balls of the feet? Do the heels fit snugly, or do they pinch or slip off? Don’t rationalise that the shoes just need to be “broken in.” Find shoes that fit from the start.
7.Trust your own comfort level rather than a shoe’s size or description. Sizes vary between manufacturers. And no matter how comfortable an advertisement claims those shoes are, you’re the real judge.
8.Pay attention to width as well as length. If the ball of your foot feels compressed in a particular shoe, ask if it comes in a wider size. Buying shoes that are a half-size bigger – but not any wider – won’t necessarily solve the problem.
9.Feel the inside of the shoes to see if they have any tags, seams, or other material that might irritate your foot.
10 Examine the soles. Are they sturdy enough to provide protection from sharp objects? Do they provide any cushioning? Take note of how they feel as you walk around the shoe store. Try to walk on hard surfaces as well as carpet to see how the shoe feels on both.
