Shoes

From Domicella's wikiStyle

Jump to: navigation, search

When picking the proper shoes, consider both the shoe's affect on your foot health as well as the occassion in which you are going to wear the shoe.

Contents

Shoe Styles

Picking the Best Shoes

Wearing improper shoes, and even socks, can result or aggravate a variety of foot problems including Psoriatic Arthritis; Blisters; Bunions; Calluses; Corns; and Hammer, Claw, and Mallet Toes. Here are some general guidelines when choosing any shoe style:

  • Think sturdy and supportive. With psoriatic arthritis of the foot, it's essential to give your feet all the help they can get, and that includes a shoe that will support your heels, arches and the balls of your feet.[1] This will also help prevent bunions.[2]
  • Get the proper cushioning. Try to strike a balance between cushioning for comfort and rigidity for support. Shoes with shock-absorbing rubber soles are a good bet for psoriaticarthritis of the foot.[1]
  • Not too tight. Wear roomy shoes that have wide and deep toe boxes (the area that surrounds the toes)[2] and about a half-inch worth of space behind your heel.[1] This will also help prevent or at least not aggravate Hammer, Claw, and Mallet Toes[3] as well as blisters.[4]
  • Not too loose. Loose shoes may cause your foot to slide and rub against the shoe, causing calluses. Wearing loose socks may result in pressure where the sock bunches up and also cause calluses.[5]

High Heels/Stilettos

Three-inch heels subject your poor, aching feet to seven times more stress than a more reasonable one-inch heel.[1]

  • Get the best-fitting high heel possible. While this may seem like a given, stop and think: How many pairs of high heels cause your feet to slide to the front, leaving a gap big enough for a small cell phone behind your heel? High heels that don't fit properly cause the front of the foot to fly forward, creating more pressure, and pain, on toes. Look for narrow heels with a snug but not tight fit to correct the problem.[6]
  • Cushion, cushion, cushion. While a full-shoe insert can help, if you have pain in the ball of the foot, or you'll be standing in your heels a long time, invest in silicone metatarsal pads. They look like flattened gummy bears, but they do a super job of shock absorption. It's like replacing the fat padding you lost.[6]
  • Wear a thicker heel for stability. A thicker heel will give you better balance and may help relieve some pressure by distributing the weight on your foot more evenly. Alternating heel heights can also help reduce problems with the Achilles tendon.[6]
  • Pay attention to the "slope" or "pitch" of the heel. While some 4-inch heels will give you a straight drop down to the flatbed portion of the shoe, others will be a more gradual slope. This may be easier on the arch and might help relieve some pain in the ball of the foot.[6]
  • Wear open-toe high heels to relieve pressure on corns and calluses. See a podiatrist to have corns and calluses professionally removed and correct the problem that’s causing them. But if that's not possible, opt for open-toe shoes to take pressure off inflamed areas.[6]


As you age, you lose some of the fatty deposits that normally protect the ball of the foot; and some of it also slides forward towards the toes. When we slip our feet into those strappy stiletto sandals and step down, our weight is thrown on the spot where we have less protection.[7]

Running Shoes

Pronation is the rolling of the foot from heel to toe through the foot strike. A proper or neutral pronation is hitting the outside of the heel and up to ball of your foot evenly across the front. This is how your foot reduces the stress of impact.[8]

  • Underpronation is not enough evening out so the outside of your foot takes most of the shock instead of finishing in the neutral position.
  • Overpronation is too much roll across from the outside to the inside of your foot.[8]

To determine your level of pronation, look at your shoes you walk or run in. Most everyone will begin on the outside of the heel, the real indicator would be the wear on the forefoot. If most of the shoe wear is:

  • On the medial (inside) side then you overpronate and probably need to choose Motion-Control Running Shoes
  • On the lateral (outside) side then you underpronate and most likely need to choose Cushioned Running Shoes
  • Uniform across the forefoot then you have a neutral stride and are best suited for choosing Stability Running Shoes.[8]


Another method of determining pronation and, ultimately, foot type is by checking your arch height. The easiest way to figure out your arch height is by using the Wet Test. To take the test, wet the bottom of each footand stand normally on a paper bag. After a minute or so, step off and observe the imprint left by your foot. (Trace the outline with a pencil if you want to look at it later.)[8]

  • You have a normal arch (neutral pronation) if there's a distinct curve along the inside of your foot with a band a little less than half the width of your foot connecting the heel and toe. Choose Stability Running Shoes.[8]
  • You have a low arch (flat feet/overpronator) if there's not much of a curve along the inside of your foot and your imprint shows almost the entire foot. People with low arches are more likely to overpronate (roll too far inward), which can lead to overuse injuries. Choose Motion-Control Running Shoes.[8]
  • You have a high arch (underpronator) if there's a very sharp curve along the inside of your foot and your imprint shows a very thin band between your heel and toe. People with high arches typically don't pronate enough. Choose Cushioned Running Shoes.[8]


Go shopping for shoes around the time you would run. Feet swell a little bit during the day. So if you normally run in the evenings or afternoon, don't buy a pair of running shoes first thing in the morning.[9]

  • Try the running shoes on with the socks you will run in. Don't wear dress socks to try on running shoes if you are stopping by on the way home from work. If you wear ultra-thin moisture wicking socks when you run, don't try on running shoes on a day you are wearing tube socks. Try and get as close to the feel you will have when you run.[9]
  • Bring your orthotics with you. If you wear orthotics when you run, be sure to bring them with you. You will have to take into account the space the orthotics will occupy in the shoe.[9]
  • Try on both shoes. There could be a slight difference in the way each shoe is made or even in your foot size. Be sure both of your feet are comfortable before you seal the deal with the shoe store.[9]
  • Try running in the shoe if possible. You wouldn't buy a car without test driving it right? So why would you just walk around in a shoe if you need to see how it feels when you run? Some stores, especially running specialty stores, may have a treadmill or track for you to try a light jog in the shoes before you purchase them.[9]
  • Try on more than one model of shoe. Once you know your type of foot and shoe, try on several different models to see which one fits the best. See which one is the most comfortable for your foot.[9]
  • Try to go to a running specialty store. As mentioned above, some of these stores focus on making sure you have the right shoe for your foot, so that you can get the most enjoyment possible out of running. Many of these stores are owned or managed by experienced runners.[9]

Walking Shoes

There is a difference and shoes designed specifically for walking can really help. Walking shoes are designed for the unique heel-to-toe rolling motion of the foot in the walking stride-a stride that is very different from running. You'll experience less shin pain and other injuries by using a walking shoe. Plus, a shoe designed for walking will hold up better and last longer. Lastly, a good walking shoe can actually enhance your performance, by allowing a more fluid, rolling walking gait.[10]

Although there are differences between walking and running shoes, the important test for pronantion of the foot is the same. Determine how your feet are pronating and use this information in finding the best walking shoe for you.

  • Poke 'em. A walking shoe should have a fairly low, rounded or beveled heel that allows a good rolling motion from heel to toe. Place the shoe on a table and push down firmly with a pencil at the very back of the shoe, inside the cup of the heel. If the heel is rounded or beveled sufficiently, the toes will lift off the ground. (Step Two) Now, let's look at the toe of the shoe. The end of a smooth heel-to-toe roll is aided by a noticeable bend upward at the toe of the shoe, called toe spring. Push down on the end of the toe-the more the heel lifts off the surface, the more toe spring the shoe has.[10]
  • Bend 'em. At the end of each stride, your foot bends through the ball of your foot just before you toe off. Grab the heel of the shoe firmly and push upward at the toes to see that the shoe bends where your foot naturally does, not under the arch. Beware of a shoe that bends through the arch. This lack of support can lead to discomfort in the bottom of your foot and arch.[10]
  • Twist 'em. As your foot accepts your weight, you imperceptibly load the outside of your foot first (the little toe), then shift your weight inward to the big toe. This slither from little toe to big happens quickly, without you even knowing it, but it's aided by a shoe with a bit of torsional flexibility. Grab the heel and toe of the shoe firmly and give a twist to look for modest flexibility, so your foot's independent suspension can do its work.[10]
  • If one foot is larger than the other, try on a pair that fits your larger foot.[11]
  • Try on both shoes and check the fit. Wiggle your toes. If you don't have at least a half-inch (1.3 centimeters) between your longest toe and the end of the shoe, approximately the width of your finger, try a larger size.[11]
  • Be sure the shoe is wide enough. The side-to-side fit of the shoe should be snug, not tight. If you're a woman with wide feet, consider men's or boys' shoes, which are cut a bit larger through the heel and the ball of the foot.[11]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 http://arthritis.webmd.com/psoriatic-arthritis/psoriatic-arthritis-and-your-feet-finding-shoes-that-fit
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 http://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/bunions-topic-overview?page=2
  3. ↑ http://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/hammer-claw-and-mallet-toes-topic-overview
  4. ↑ http://www.webmd.com/skin-problems-and-treatments/tc/blisters-prevention
  5. ↑ http://www.webmd.com/skin-problems-and-treatments/tc/calluses-and-corns-topic-overview
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 http://women.webmd.com/features/tips-to-avoid-foot-pain-from-high-heels?page=3
  7. ↑ http://women.webmd.com/features/tips-to-avoid-foot-pain-from-high-heels?page=2
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 8.4 8.5 8.6 http://www.therunningadvisor.com/running_shoes.html
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 9.4 9.5 9.6 http://www.examiner.com/x-17940-SF-Sports-Medicine-Examiner~y2009m7d28-Picking-the-right-running-shoe
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 10.3 http://www.pbs.org/americaswalking/gear/gearpicking.html
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/walking/HQ00885_D/NSECTIONGROUP=2
Retrieved from "http://www.domicella.com/Shoes"