If the Shoe Fits

How do you know if your shoe fits?

It may seem like this question has an obvious answer. Most people would say, "Because it feels good." The surprising answer to that is, "That's not enough." Sometimes how the shoe initially feels doesn't mean it's the right shoe for you. Surprised? Clients may say to me when describing a shoe they really like, "It feels like I'm wearing slippers." Forget about slippers. A shoe needs to support you as you walk on hard unforgiving surfaces all day. Slippers don't give you support. Neither do most women's dress shoes, but I'll talk about those types of shoes another day.

Today we are talking about sensible shoes like athletic shoes or a walking shoe (usually a model that ties and has a low heel). Here's how you know if the shoe fits.

1. Get measured. No matter what you think your size is, get measured to be sure. Feet change over time.
2. Put your bare foot (you can leave your sock on) next to the shoe before you put it on. Look at the front of the shoe and the shape of your foot. They should be similar.
3. While you are sitting down, loosen the laces, put your foot in the shoe and cram your toes into the end of the shoe to check compatibility of your toe shape and the shoes toe shape.
4. Ideally, all of your toes should contact the end of the shoe with equal pressure.
5. Insert your index finger between the back of the shoe and your heel. (Remember, you're still sitting down.) If you can't get a finger in there when your toes are crammed to the front, go bigger in size.

If the front shape of the shoe matches the shape of your foot and you have enough room, you are on your way to finding a shoe that fits.

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