Fitting the appropriate shoe is just as important as finding the best arch supports (foot orthotics). Without the proper footwear to place them in, foot orthotic insoles just don't work. Some conditions can be improved, and even eliminated just by changing your footwear.
For those cases that do not find their symptoms disappearing by simply changing their shoes, we have designed a customizable line of foot orthotics that bridges the gap between the usually cheap and ineffective over-the-counter foot orthotic and the expensive custom foot orthotics.
Whether you wear foot orthotic insoles or not, a stable, properly fit shoe is essential for the health of your feet.
Shoe Evaluation
The ability to evaluate shoe fit and stability is essential for anyone who wears shoes if you want to maintain healthy and happy feet. This checklist should give you the ability to evaluate and fit shoes properly.
One of the biggest misconceptions when fitting shoes is that you will fit the same size shoe no matter what brand you are buying. This is not the case. Shoe sizes are not well standardized and a size 8 in one brand may be exactly the same size as a 9 in another brand...or even with different models in the same brand. Try them on both feet, and fit to the larger foot. It's better to have a little bit too much room than not enough, and easier for a shoe fitting professional to accommodate with additions in the shoe that fits slightly larger.
Follow through the information below and you will learn how to assess for shoe fit and stability like a pro.
Shoe Stability
Written explanations below the video...the video shows a shoe with enough stability for most foot types.
1) Evaluate Midfoot stability (Video above: Bend Test)
Hold the shoe in both hands, one under the toes and one at the heel.
Bring your hands together like you are trying to touch palm to palm.
The shoe should bend at the ball of the foot where your foot normally bends. If it rolls up like a ball it is not stable enough. If it bends anywhere other than at the ball of foot area at the widest part of the forefoot, the bend is in the wrong place.
Hold underneath the toe area of the shoe in one hand and the heel in the other.
Twist your hands in opposite directions.
This should be difficult and require some force to get movement. If you can twist it like a wet rag, it is not sufficiently stable.
3) Evaluate the Heel Counter (Video above: Heel Counter):
Set the shoe in the palm of one hand.
Take the other hand and place your thumb in the middle of the heel counter. (The back part of the shoe that covers the back of your heel.)
Push the heel counter and see if it collapses under the pressure of your thumb. If it does, the heel counter is too weak to offer appropriate support.
Shoe Fit
4) Evaluate Foot Shape
Try on the shoes, lace them up, and stand with weight evenly on both feet.
Check for areas of pressure around the feet. Make sure you check the area at the base of the little toe and the base of the big toe on the sides of the feet (fifth and first metatarsal heads) as these are two of the most common problem areas associated with a foot shape and shoe shape mismatch.
To get more detailed you can also:
Stand on a piece of paper with weight evenly on both feet and have someone trace them with a pen (do both feet).
Compare your tracing to the shape of the shoe. A great way to compare is to pull out the factory insole and line it up with the foot tracing. This allows you to see areas where the shape does not match. Check both feet.
5) Evaluate Toe Space (Length)
Make sure the shoes are on and laced properly.
Stand up with weight evenly on both feet.
Take your thumb and turn it sideways at the end of the shoe and feel for the toes. There should be about 1/4 to 1/2 inches of space between the end of the toes and the end of the shoe.
6) Evaluate Forefoot Space
Make sure the shoes are on and laced properly.
Stand up with your weight evenly on both feet.
Take your thumb and index finger and pinch the shoe material at the widest part of the forefoot, which would be by the ball of the foot.
You should be able to pinch about 1/4 inches (5mm to 7mm) of the material in this area of the shoe. it is difficult to actually get the material pinched between your fingers in most cases, so this can be equated to a bit of the material rolling under your fingers. If it's stretched too tight to get any movement, it's too tight, and if you can pinch more than 1/4 inch, it's too loose.
7) Evaluate Throat Space
Put the shoes on, but do not lace up.
Stand up with your weight evenly on both feet.
Slide your fingers under the tongue and to the space at the base of the laces. You should be able to fit one to two fingers in the space. If not, it's too shallow. If more than 2 fingers, there is too much room there.
8) Evaluate Heel Space
The best test for heel space is to walk with the shoe on and see if it rubs or irritates anywhere, or if the shoe slips up and down on the heel. Make sure the shoes are on and laced properly. The shoe should fit snugly around the heel. If it's pinching, it's too tight. If it does not fit snugly and there is excessive space between the heel and the inside of the shoe, it's too loose and will rub and slide.
9) Evaluate Ankle Space
Similar to heel space, the best test is to walk with the shoe on and see if it rubs or irritates at the heel cord (Achilles tendon) or ankle bones (malleoli), or if the heel slips up and down (or out of the shoe) when you walk and move.
10) Evaluate Location Where the Shoe Bends
Make sure the shoes are on and laced properly.
Take a step forward with your right foot, leaving the toes of your left foot on the ground, but lifting your left heel.
Look at where the shoe bends and see if the ball of your foot bends in the same location.
