Are Your Shoes the Right Size?

Betcha they’re not!  Approximately 80% of the population is wearing the wrong size shoe – and probably 90% of women!

Here is the same foot on 3 different shoe beds out of 3 different shoes.  Which one do you think is the correct length for the foot?

1.                            2 .                       3.

The answer is #2.  There should be 3/8 of an inch between your longest toe and the end of the foot bed.

Do you want to check a few of your shoes?  Take the bedding out and look at your foot imprint on the bedding.

What surprises many is that their foot beds show a wear pattern of #1 or #3 more often than #2.  Yet, the shoes feel just fine.  If we say, “you are wearing shoes that are too long or too short” we can expect a response of “What do you know?  It feels good to me and that is the size I always wear.”

Well, here is what we know about shoes that are too short: The first metatarsal joint gets jammed every step you take in a shoe that sizes like #3.  That joint has a very long memory and is very unforgiving.  Bunions, a rigid first toe joint (meaning it stops moving as it should and there is pain in every step) are just some of the conditions that result.  As well, in a short shoe, the toes and joints can’t complete their task of motion and follow-through. Our knees and hips depend upon correct motion at the feet and ankles.  If the feet don’t give it to them, they don’t rotate correctly.  Knee and hip replacements can be traced to a lifetime of incorrect motion at the feet.   If that isn’t enough, the toes start to scrunch up and what were perfectly straight toes at birth are claw toes or hammer toes by the late twenties. Callusing and corns develop on the feet and toes.

How about those who wear shoes that are too long as show in #1?   That presents another set of issues:  When there is too much room in a shoe, the foot slides around, side to side, up and back.  This creates friction, shearing and callusing on the bottom and sides of the foot.  In order to stay in the shoe, the toes grab with each step, contributing to claw toes and hammer toes.  One of the biggest risks is tripping or turning ankles.  Too much room at the front of the shoe is a safety issue.  The younger we are, we tend to be amused by our clumsiness.  It isn’t funny as time goes on.  Ask anyone with a broken hip.

If you can’t come to our store for a good fitting – and even if you do come – look at our a guide for sizing shoes in our Smart Articles.  It also explains how to know when you are in the right width.  The Smarter you are about the shoes you wear, the better your feet will be in the short term and the long run!