One of the most essential pieces of equipment for any exercise will usually be the right kind of shoe. It needs to support your efforts and help protect your feet and joints.
Here are a few top tips on how to buy the right walking shoe that will give you a good fit:
Get Your Feet Measured Properly
Many people shop for shoes online, but a trip to your local shoe store can help you get correct sizing. Go toward the end of the day and measure both feet. Then shop for the larger foot.
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Pay Special Attention to the Measurement
Once you have your measurement, start trying on shoes. You may have real trouble finding the right shoe for you if you are a 9 1/2 wide, or 11 1/2 narrow, for example, compared to a 7 regular. On the other hand, not all shoes run true to size, especially ones that are made overseas.
Wear the Right Socks when You Go Shopping
Wear a plain of clean socks of the type you plan to use with the shoes. For example, if you like to wear a thick pair of sport socks, the shoes will feel and fit very differently than if you are wearing a regular sock as you would with your work clothes for the office.
Look for shoes that accommodate your special feet, such as those for flat feet or high arches.
When trying on the shoes, you might notice a significant difference in relation to the inside of the shoes. Some sneakers have (painfully high) arch supports, others virtually none.
Don’t Crowd Your Toes
Your feet will shift in the shoe as you walk. Allow at about 1 finger’s width between the top of your longest toe and the inside top edge of the shoe. Otherwise, your toes could start to jam up against the inside of the shoe and lead to pain, swelling, blisters, and an increasingly miserable walking program.
If you have pain in the big toe generally, look for a wide, soft shoe without a lot of ridges or toe caps at the front.
If you still see severe uneven wear even after trying these, check with a podiatrist and also visit the Hapad website, which has inexpensive orthotics that you can place in your shoe to help correct the problem.
Buy the right walking shoes, and stay safe as you carry out your walking program.
