Sometimes size does matter
This is one of those things that everyone assumes you know how to do once you are an adult. Like lighting a campfire and removing red wine stains from a white silk blouse (that you borrowed from a friend but that’s another story). But what do you do if you were away the day they did shoe fitting 101 in high school?
You go to our blog of course. Because, we know that lots of people don’t know how to get shoes that fit properly. So read on and learn…
We’ve have had lots of people contact me and come into the store wanting to know more. It seems we have struck a chord by suggesting more attention needs to be paid to how we connect with the earth and how good footwear can improve posture, wellbeing and balance. And it’s not just diabetics who can benefit – everyone operates better when they are working from a solid foundation.
So, I am going to focus on how to make sure your shoe fits.
1. The first (ahem!) step is to find a good shoe shop. Someone who stocks loads of good quality brands and who is happy to spend time with you to make sure you get what you need.
Once you’ve done that, make sure you have plenty of time. Getting the right fit needs a bit of thinking about. If you only have 10 minutes, by all means check out the styles on display but wait until you can really concentrate before you start trying shoes on.
2. Before you head into the shop, take a good look at your foot. What kind of arch do you have? Is there any particular place that regularly gives you pain? Are your feet narrow or wide? Once you know what the issues are, you will be in a much better position to let someone else help you.
3. Don’t get hung up on your shoe size. Remember, it is just a number and really doesn’t mean anything. A size 36 in one brand, might be bigger than a 38 in another. The thing that matters is whether it fits your foot.
4. Make sure the foot fits comfortably within the rim. If you can, take the insole out, put it on the floor and put your foot on it. Does your foot fit with a comfortable space around the edge?
For diabetics, it is particularly important to check that there is no stitching on the inside of the shoe. As we discussed in the last column, diabetes can sometimes result in a lack of feeling in the feet, so you may not even be aware that your shoe is rubbing on your feet and doing damage.
5. This is a good time to ask yourself some questions. Will this shoe do the job you need it to? Is it the right colour. Is it comfortable? Does the whole base of the foot touch the ground the way it was designed to, or if there is a heel does the shoe provide extra support and padding?
6. Walk around the store to see if the shoes are comfortable. Never buy shoes without trying them on and don’t assume they will get comfortable with wear. Don’t let anyone tell you the shoe will stretch. Good shoes fit properly when you buy them
7. And the really big news is this. The days when you had to suffer ugly shoes just to be sensible are GONE. There are dozens of companies like Think! Earth, Birkenstock, El Naturalista who know how important shoes are to your overall wellbeing. They know a person has more nerve endings in their hands, feet and lips than in the rest of their body put together. And they know that shoes that are designed right and fit right can help your posture, your breathing, your balance and even your sense of grounding.
And they can do all that and still look great.
Sally Mcgregor is a podiatrist who owns and runs Children of the Revolution, a shoe store specialising in Intelligent Shoes. She is passionate about helping people to be healthy from the ground up. You can find out more about Sally at www.childrenoftherevolution.com.au