Recent studies performed by the American Orthopaedic Foot & Ankle Society have found that improperly-fitting shoes are the biggest cause of foot problems, costing the U.S. $3.5 billion in medical bills every year. More than 43 million Americans suffer from foot injuries—that’s one in every six people. And more than two-thirds of people who run on a regular basis suffer an injury every year.
Your feet take a beating every single day. It doesn’t matter if you’re an elite athlete or not. You pummel your feet walking to class, going to work—even a quick walk down to the coffee shop takes its toll. The fact that we are capable of walking and running on two feet largely contributes to our ability as humans to adapt to and thrive in countless environments. But, it also means that our feet bear the brunt of keeping us in motion.
Fashion Hurts
Most people buy shoes based on fashion over function, and therefore end up in shoes that will eventually cause them injury. We want to look good when we’re sweating away in the weight room or in spin class. That’s certainly understandable. But, your feet are your biomechanical foundation and not to be treated lightly. If your feet could talk, they’d probably call you out for all the abuse you put them through. And in a sense, they do voice their discomfort through pain. Shoes that don’t fit properly cause bunions, corns, calluses, hammertoes, blisters, arch pain, bone fractures and more. But, if you understand what your foot needs in a shoe then you can dramatically decrease your chance of injury and increase your chance of achieving your athletic goals.
Foot Mechanics: The Key To Comfort
The most important principle for proper shoe fit is to wear shoes that conform to the natural shape of your feet and support your feet according to your unique foot mechanics. The best way to determine your foot mechanics is to visit a reputable athletic shoe store that employs a Certified Pedorthist, or C. Ped., who can perform a complete foot analysis and more accurately recommend appropriate footwear. A C. Ped. will tell you that there are two major elements of foot mechanics: Arch Type and Pronation.
Determining Your Arch Type
Arch type refers to the height of your arch, of which there are three categories: high, medium, and low, or flat, arches. Medium arches are often referred to as “average arches” because it is the most common arch type. Nearly 70% of people have medium arches.
If you are unsure of your arch type, there is a quick and easy way to find out called the Finger Test. Remove your shoes and socks, and stand on a hard surface. While standing, bend your knees slightly, reach down to your feet, and slide an index finger under your foot’s arch. If your finger slides in more than 1 inch, you have a high arch. If your finger slides in ½ inch to 1 inch, you have a medium arch. If your finger slides under your arch up to ½ inch, you have a low arch.
What Exactly Is Pronation Anyway?
There is a fair amount of confusion surrounding pronation, which is unfortunate because it is the real key to your foot mechanics. The right combination of shoes and insoles will address your level of pronation, enhance your biomechanical efficiency, and virtually eliminate all shoe-related injuries.
In technical terms, pronation refers to the amount of inward and downward rotation of the medial bones in the midtarsal region of the foot when walking or running. Jargon-heavy definitions like that are the reason for widespread confusion of the concept.
Simply stated, pronation refers to how flexible your feet are; or in other words, how much your arches roll inward with each step you make. Rigid feet and arches flex very little, or under-pronate. As you might guess, the arch types discussed above very often relate to your level of pronation. Therefore, people with high arches tend to be under-pronators. Under-pronators require a maximum amount of cushioning, but a minimum amount of support from their shoes to be biomechanically efficient.
Semi-flexible feet and arches flex moderately, or pronate. People with medium arches tend to be pronators. Pronators require a medium amount of support from their shoes to stabilize their feet from rolling inward for optimal biomechanical efficiency.
Very flexible feet and arches flex dramatically, or over-pronate. People with low or flat arches tend to be over-pronators. Over-pronators require a maximum amount of support from their shoes to stabilize their feet from rolling inward for optimal biomechanical efficiency.
5 Quick Tips For Your Perfect Fit
Now that you’ve got a pretty good handle on foot mechanics, lets move on to a few quick fit tips to keep in mind when shopping for your next pair of athletic shoes.
Shoe Fit Tip #1 Have BOTH feet measured. And for the love of Pete, try on both shoes! Most people have one foot that is larger than the other. You will want to fit to the largest foot. Also, be sure to have your feet measured regularly. The size of your feet changes over time.
Shoe Fit Tip #2 Don’t judge a shoe by its cover. Shoe fit and shoe size vary among brands, styles, and even one year’s model to the next. Judge the shoe by how it fits your foot. Don’t even look in a mirror until you’ve found the shoe that FEELS the best to you. Another note is to be sure you have a thumb’s width of space for your longest toe at the end of each shoe (1/2 inch to 3/8 inch).
Shoe Fit Tip #3 Make sure the ball of your foot fits comfortably into the widest part of the shoe. You want to have a secure, comfortable fit from the heel through the midfoot. But, your forefoot area should not be restricted in any way. A tight fit in the forefoot will inevitably result in blisters or possibly worse injuries.
Shoe Fit Tip #4 Buy your shoes from a reputable store that has a good return policy. After all, how do you really know if a shoe fits unless you thoroughly test them? A good store will give you up to two months to test your shoes.
Shoe Fit Tip #5 Rotate your athletic shoes and replace them frequently. Have more than one pair of shoes and switch out wearing them on a regular basis. Your shoes will last longer and so will your body. For example, the lifespan of the average running shoe is about 300 to 400 miles or one year, whichever comes first.
Fine-Tune Your Fit To Perfection
Insoles are incredibly important to the health of your feet. Insoles have two functions: 1) add support to your shoe to address your level of pronation, and 2) to provide extra cushioning. Most athletic shoes do not provide pronation support. Therefore, you need to rely on an insole or custom orthotic to optimize your biomechanics.
Insoles also enhance the comfort level of your shoes. Have you ever noticed that after a few weeks your new shoes just don’t feel as good as they did when you first tried them on? That’s because the skimpy insole that came with your shoes has broken down.
If you were able to separately buy the typical insole found in most athletic shoes, it would cost about $2.99. The average price of an after-market insole is about $20. The difference between the $2.99 insole and a $20 insole from a brand name manufacturer is cushioning and support that lasts for another 300 miles of running or several months of activity—well worth the minor investment.
Socks
First rule: never, ever wear cotton socks when you work out. Why? Cotton absorbs sweat, and that’s bad. You need to find a sock that conquers two of the biggest enemies of your feet: Heat and Moisture. Heat and moisture can override perfectly fitting shoes and cause blisters, calluses and other painful issues. That’s why today’s performance socks use the latest and greatest fabrics designed to combat these two foes of feet. There are also socks built to add additional cushioning into your daily workout for extra comfort. In any event, the old cotton tube sock we all grew up with just won’t cut it anymore.
Treat Your Feet Right
Be good to your feet. Treat your feet as if you depended on them for supporting you for the rest of your life. Because you do. Remember, poor-fitting shoes are the #1 cause of foot problems—not accidents or over-training. So, the next time you buy a pair of shoes, take the time to find the right pair of shoes for you! It’ll be worth it in the “long run.”
