Research shows that most people have experienced foot pain during their lifetime. Some of the common causes of pain include physical deformities as well as hitting stationary objects such as stairs and pieces of furniture. However, ill-fitting shoes are by far one of the leading causes of pain in the feet. This means it is important to ensure that you buy and wear shoes that fit well.
“Number Based Sizing”: A Foot Pain Factor
Most people buy their shoes based on measurements and sizes provided by manufacturers. The problem with “number based sizing” is it is not a reliable measure of one’s foot size. In addition, “number based sizing” varies from one shoe manufacturer to the next. For instance, a woman may feel comfortable in size eight high heels but require size ten sports shoes to go jogging. This disparity is due to the way manufacturers make sports shoes and high heels. Sports shoes tend to have more padding and space for toes and the feet to occupy. The opposite is true for high-heeled shoes for women.
Buying Shoes That Fit
One should not focus on size alone when buying shoes. The rule of thumb is to focus on the base of the foot. Make sure the area where the toes begin and the solid base of the foot starts line up properly with the roundest part of the shoe you want to buy. At the same time, make sure the shoes do not squeeze the balls of your feet too much. Instead, your feet should lie comfortably inside with space for moving the balls of the feet a bit.
If the toes touch the front of the shoes you are buying, you should go for a bigger pair. You should have enough space for wriggling the toes — a quarter of an inch of space between the toes and the front of the feet should be enough.
Another factor that you should consider is heel slippage. A common mistake people make is assuming that a shoe that allows the heel to slip is too big. The reason one experiences slippage is because a new shoe is still stiff. It may take a few days before your new shoes become comfortable to wear but the likelihood of getting blisters is too low.
When buying footwear, avoid tight shoes. Have your feet measured by a professional and then choose shoes that fit well with some bit of space to spare. You do not want to hurt your toes especially if you have toenail fungus.
