Shoes and Foot Pain

Bad shoes are what many foot injuries have in common. Bad shoes, according to the American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons, are to blame for about 90 percent of all foot problems. No matter what type of shoe you're wearing, a bad shoe is one that does not fit properly, has lost its shape, causes pain or rubbing, or is worn unevenly. Bad shoes cause foot and ankle problems. But they can cause leg and back problems, too. To get a good fit for any type of shoe:

• Buy shoes at the end of the day, after work or exercise, when your feet are at their largest. If you buy shoes earlier in the day, they may be too tight.
• Measure both feet and fit your shoe to the largest one, since your feet aren't both the same size. Make sure you can wiggle your toes. If you can't, the fit is too tight. Also make sure the widest part of your foot is comfortable but secure.
• Walk around the store to see if the shoes are comfortable. Never buy shoes without first trying them on, and don't assume they will get comfortable with wear. If they don't feel good when you try them on, don't buy them.
• Try on shoes with the socks you plan to wear with them.
• When the shoe is on and you're standing up, make sure you can fit the width of your little finger between your heel and the back of the shoe -- no more and no less. If your heel slides in the shoe as you walk, the shoe doesn't fit.
• Don't let anyone tell you the shoe will stretch. Good shoes fit properly when you buy them.
• And, no matter how much you're attached to your closet full of comfortable old shoes, toss them in the trash when they are worn out and get new ones.
  __________________________________________