How many of us have bought a pair of because of the way they looked, or because this style of shoe was "in"? I'm sure not too long after your purchase, you may have questioned your judgment because your feet were screaming for mercy due to pain. Often times we're not entirely sure of this is right shoe for us. This article provides a surprisingly easy way to get the right fit every time you buy a shoe no matter what type.
The Wet Test Dip: Dunk your bare feet into a pan of water. Applying your full weight, step onto a piece of brown paper. Repeat until you get a crisp pattern of each foot. Before your prints fade, match them to those shown here. (If yours are somewhere between neutral and flexible, use neutral as your guide. If yours fall between neutral and rigid, choose rigid. If your footprints are different patterns, aim to fit the more flexible one.)
Neutral: You'll see about a 1-inch strip of wetness in the arch area.
How you tread: Your feet are well balanced and roll, or pronate, almost perfectly. Your feet lengthen and spread out about a half shoe size when you stand, and they absorb shock well and have good stability. But put these nearly perfect puppies in poorly fitted shoes, and you could be hobbled with blisters or other foot problems.
How to fit: Yours is the easiest foot to fit because many styles are designed for your type. Make sure any shoe you buy feels good in the store--no rubbing or pinching.
Rigid: Your arch is so high that you'll see little, if any, imprint in the arch area.
How you tread: Your feet tend to roll inward only slightly, so you underpronate, meaning you walk more on the outsides of your feet. They're stable, but they don't absorb shock well because they're stiff: They tend not to lengthen and spread out much when you stand.
How to fit: You need shoes that are well cushioned to absorb shock, and flexible enough to allow your feet to roll more. Go for a roomy upper to accommodate your high arch. Choose the shoe with the highest heel if you have tight calves, which is common in this foot type. Your feet are also likely to curve inward at the ball (you can check this out by tracing your feet), so look for a shoe that does likewise by matching the tracings of your feet to the soles of shoes you're considering.
Flexible: Your foot is flat and has a low arch. It will leave the fullest imprint, with the most arch area in contact with the paper.
How you tread: Your feet roll inward too much (overpronate) when you walk. They're unstable, but they absorb shock well because they spread out: They change an entire size when you stand.
How to fit: Because your feet tend to flatten, you need a shoe that has less space between the laces and the sole. (To judge height, move your feet up and down inside the front of the shoes while you're wearing them.) You don't need a lot of cushioning, but you do need good arch support so your feet don't completely flatten when you step. Also, a lower-heeled shoe, as compared with other shoes, will help keep your feet more stable while you walk.
Use this information everytime you buy a pair of shoes, and your feet will thank you.
Wayne Anderson, CEO
Sports, Fitness, and More
Our website: www.seniorskeepingfit.com
119 Coralberry Drive
Beaver Falls, PA 15010
724-384-8095
Whoever thought that traveling, when we have enormous amounts of walking to do, would lead us to wear the worst shoes available...flip-flops. Sure, they have their place: the locker room at your gym, inside public showers, around the pool deck, and maybe one or two other uses. But absolutely not in an airport. I mention this for two reasons.
The first seems obvious but overlooked. I guarantee if you ask some of these people they'll tell you it is the convenience of slipping them off to go through security. This baffles me! You mean to tell me that you want to go barefoot through the same path where thousands of people trudge each and every day. Think about it, along with your perfect bare feet walked how many before you with athlete's foot, nail fungus, warts, or flesh-eating bacteria? (Well, maybe not flesh eating, but you understand...lots of creepy crawly bad stuff) How often do you think they shut down the security lines to give the floor a good scrubbing? Ten times? Five? Even once? Unlikely!! Wear socks people. You know that you usually slip on your tennis shoes without tying them again anyway, right?
Second, with the amount of walking in the airports, are shoes without any support or protection the right thing to wear. With all the people in airports, do you want your fellow traveler to step on your unprotected foot, or have the blow buffered by a shoe? This is not just for airports. The same applies for malls, Disney World, Six Flags, and most other places you can think of.
Before our first child, my wife and I took the usual prenatal classes. It was clear that the podiatrist's wife (mine) was the only woman not wearing flip flops to each class. Coincidentally, she was also the only woman not complaining about foot pain. Trust me, I know those shoes are fashionable and cute. Is that important when you have to sit down or limp around?
The footwear that you're wearing should go hand-in-hand with your activity. If you need to go barefoot, be sure to protect your feet. Doing a lot of walking? Wear a more supportive shoe. Going out for a dinner and dancing? That's the time to break out the cute shoes.
Both Laptop7 & Dr Andrew Schneider are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Laptop7 has sinced written about articles on various topics from Diabetes Treatment, Coffee Advantages and Fitness. triadmedia.inc. Laptop7's top article generates over 14800 views. to your Favourites.
Dr Andrew Schneider has sinced written about articles on various topics from Shoes, Fitness and Health. Dr. Andrew Schneider is a podiatrist in Houston, TX and is the medical director of Tanglewood Foot Specialists. He treats all injuries and conditions of the foot and ankle. For more information and many informative videos, visit. Dr Andrew Schneider's top article generates over 2900 views. to your Favourites.