Tips for Choosing the Right Footwear

The shoes you wear provide support and protection for your feet and ankles. Choosing the right footwear is an essential part of maintaining good foot health now and in the future. If you have special considerations or questions about choosing footwear that is good for your feet, ask your podiatrist for recommendations.

Make Sure Your Shoes Fit

Shoes that don’t fit properly can cause falls, broken bones, sprains, and even foot deformities. Wearing shoes that are too small or have pointed toe boxes squeeze the toes and cause them to bend inward. Shoes that are too large allow the foot to slip, causing blisters and instability when you move. Make sure that shoes fit well before purchasing them. Remember that your feet are not exactly the same size, and buy shoes that fit the larger of your feet for improved comfort.

Tailor Your Shoes to Your Activity

There are many varieties of shoes, each meant to serve a different purpose. Wearing the wrong footwear for a given activity puts your feet and ankles at risk. If you are playing a sport, wear an athletic shoe rather than dress shoes or sandals. Choose a shoe suited to the activity in which you are participating; shoes are designed differently for basketball players, runners, dancers, and baseball players. Speak to an employee at your shoe store if you’re not sure which kind of shoe is best for your needs.

Discard Old Shoes

Learn to recognize when shoes are past their prime and replace them. Shoes that have holes in the soles, cracked rubber, unstable heels, or broken laces will not protect your feet. Replace athletic and running shoes regularly, as these types of footwear tend to wear out more quickly than work or dress shoes.

Protect your feet with the help of the podiatrists at Advanced Foot and Ankle Specialists. We have been serving Sugar Land and Houston for over ten years. Click on our website or call 281-242-3338 for help managing injuries, fungal infections, and more.