Footwear

This page has been designed to give you simple advice about footwear to help you make the right choices about what you wear on your feet.

Only got a few minutes? Watch our x min summary of this page to get the key information points

Why is footwear important?

Each and every foot is different and making sure your shoe fits well and is supportive will help make sure your foot is comfortable and supported.

Your foot is a surprisingly complicated piece of your body, made up of bones, ligaments, tendons and a series of arches. Each of these parts work together to allow you to walk, jump, skip and kick without causing any problems. To help make sure your foot can do the job you want it to do, it is important that you give it the comfort and support that it needs. This means that what you put on your feet is important.

What makes a good shoe?

The choice of shoes can be overwhelming at the best of times. Arch support, anti-pronation and air-cushioned might be just some of the terms you’ve seen to describe shoes and making the choice that is right for you can be touch.

We’ve tried to simplify some of the language around footwear and moved away from jargon to help you understand some of the things you should look for in a ‘good shoe’.

Length (how long your shoe is):

There should be around 1cm of space between your longest toe and the end of the shoe.

Width & depth (the side to side & top to bottom space in your shoe):

A round or square toe box (the bit where your toes sit in the shoe) should allow for enough room for your toes to wiggle. The individual shape of your foot might mean that a round or square ended shoe might suit you best.

Laces vs Velcro (how your shoes do up):

Laces or Velcro are considered the best way to do your show up as they make sure the shoe stays close to your foot. For some, elastic laces might be best option as it allows you to get your shoe on and off easily whilst still having a comfortably tight fit. Your shoe should be comfortably tight and not slide at the heel when you walk.

Seams (how and where the shoe is stitched together):

Most shoes are made of various pieces of material (leather/ fabric etc.) sewn or stitched together. If you have a sore area, it might be sensible to see if any of the shoe’s seams or joins sit over the sore area as they may rub.

Heels (the bit at the back of the shoe):

Having a small heel to your shoe is a good thing and can help your foot work normally however, if you have sore feet having higher heels can make your toes work harder and can make them sore.

Sole (the bit on the bottom of the shoe):

The sole of your shoe should be firm and supportive enough to hold the shape of your foot. A good test of this is to try and bend your shoe in half; if you can fold it in half then the sole is not very supportive; if you can’t fold it in half then it sounds like a good shoe.

What makes a shoe less suitable

Trying to find shoes can be challenging but knowing what make a ‘good shoe’ can help. Equally, knowing what makes a shoe not great can be just as useful.

  • Slip on shoes tend to make your toes and feet work harder as they have to stop the shoe from falling off your foot when you’re walking. This probably isn’t an issue for most people but if you already have foot issues, it might make things sore.
  • Not having enough room for your toes will limit how well they can move and may cause them to feel ‘pinched’. Over time, this might cause the skin to get irritated.

 

  • High heels shift your body weight forwards and onto your toes. The higher the heel, the more weight goes forwards onto the toes. Although this doesn’t mean that your toes will get sore, it does mean that they might. It’s worth thinking how many times you’ve seen someone take their high heels off at the end of the day and give their foot a reassuring rub as they have become sore.
  • A hard and thin sole will not provide any cushioning. Some people prefer having less support for the foot and a thin sole (so called ‘barefoot shoes’) but most would agree that some cushioning makes their feet feel more comfortable. Making a choice that gives you the comfort you want, regardless of brand or style of shoe, is often the best way to go.
  • A heavily worn shoe won’t provide the right support. Shoes don’t last forever and as your shoe ages it can sometimes lose its shape. This means that it might not be offering your foot the same support as it did when it was new and therefore, it might be worth considering a new or alternative pair.

How do I know if my shoes are wearing out?

This might sound like something you’d expect most people to know but how often do you look at the bottom of your shoes or check the shape before you slip them on your feet?

Here are a few quick tips on checking your shoes.

1. Check the bottom of the shoe – is the tread wearing thin in certain places?
2. Are the seams ripped?
3. Do you have any holes in the shoe?
4. Has it become too flexible? Give your shoe a twist and flex in the middle - if this is becoming too flexible this is a sign that you might to replace them.

How to I know what type of shoe is best for me?

Hopefully, by this stage you’ve read the details on what makes a ‘good shoe’ and what doesn’t however, shopping for shoes can still be daunting.

Lady shrugging shoulders to indicate confuion.

Try these handy hints that might help you when choosing the right shoe for you:

  1. Try on your shoes with the type of socks or tights you would normally wear.
  2. Walk around the shop (or home if you bought them online) more than once. Make sure you are able to think clearly about if the shoes feel comfortable and try not to feel pressured into making a decision quickly.
  3. If your feet tend to swell then trying shoes on at the end of the day may be a good idea.
  4. Don’t rely on ‘breaking it in’ – this means that the shoe should feel comfortable straight away rather than hoping that it will over time.
Top tip:
With no shoes on stand on a price of paper/ thin cardboard and get someone to draw round your foot.
Take a pair of scissors and cut out the shape of your foot
Place the cut-out shape into your shoe and if the edges curl then your shoe isn’t fitting correctly.

I’ve got wide feet, where can I get a wider fitting shoe from?

A number of shoe manufacturers specialise in wide fitting shoes. Although we do not necessarily recommend one brand over another, patients often report success with ‘DB’ and ‘Cosyfeet’.

If you are a runner and are looking for trainer which is wider then again, our patients have found success with ‘HOKA’, ‘Saucony’ and ‘Brooks’.

Other brands are available beyond those listed above and good research is probably best to find the one that suits you and your feet.

If I get an appointment with your team, should I bring my shoes to my appointment?

If you are offered an appointment with our Foot and Ankle Biomechanics team (FAB MSK), then it would be very useful to bring a selection of shoes that you normally wear.

We will be able to assess both you and your footwear as sometimes your shoes can give us extra detail as to how your foot is really working.

Please choose shoes that you wear the most, rather than the cleanest or newest as this will help our clinicians assess how you use your shoes. You can always bring a selection of shoes with you.