When it’s time to order some new shoes, many just jump online and order a pair that is in their size.
The truth is that when you get those shoes, they likely don’t fit just right. Instead of going through the mess to send them back, you just live with the fact that the shoes aren’t just right for you. There’s a much better way. By taking the time to try on shoes and assess these five qualities, you can be assured that the shoes you get fit you just right every single time.
Flexibility
While getting the ideal size of shoes is extremely important to your comfort, so is getting shoes that are flexible. Due to the natural motion of your foot rolling when you walk, you want to ensure that your shoe encourages that smooth movement instead of hindering it. If your shoes are not flexible, they can cause both your feet and your shins to overwork. This can lead to tired feet and shins. To test your potential shoes for flexibility, you’ll want to hold one shoe between your two hands. Push the front of the shoe and the heel of the shoe towards one another as if bending the shoe into a ‘V’. If the shoe has good flexibility, you should be able to see the ‘V’ shape.
Consider The Heel Height
The heel height of your shoe can have a drastic difference in how well you’re able to walk in your new shoes. As a general rule of thumb, you should avoid shoes that have a heel that is over two and a half centimeters. Anything over this can cause some restriction in the movement of the ball in the heel. While high heels may be a part of some of your attire, it’s best to consider switching them in for some flatter footwear. With the help of some foot strengthening exercises, you can better prepare your feet for those times when high heels are a must.
Try Them With Your Regular Socks
Having a shoe fit just right comes down to the shape of your foot and the makeup of your socks. It doesn’t make sense to try on your sneakers with a pair of heavy hiking socks as you’re going to end up getting a bigger size than you need. Rather, you’ll want to put on a pair of ankle socks or whatever you regularly wear with your sneakers when trying them on. For dress shoes, you’ll want to follow the same strategy. For those who have many different socks that don’t fit comfortably, you should consider getting custom socks. According to the experts at OurSock.com, custom socks can ensure comfort for your feet throughout the day. This way, you can be assured that you’ll be wearing the same type of sock for the type of shoe that you’ll be wearing.
Roominess
Your foot doesn’t stay the same size in every position. When you walk, your foot spreads out in both length and width. It’s estimated that the foot will spread out at least a centimeter around the circumference of the foot when in a non-walking position. As a general rule of thumb, your thumb is about a centimeter in width. This makes it a great tool to use when picking out new shoes. You should ensure that there is a thumb width between your longest toe and the tip of the shoe as well as a thumb width of space between your foot and the side of the shoe. Make sure you try on both shoes as one foot is likely going to be a little bit bigger than the other. That’s the foot that you’ll want to base your ultimate shoe size on.
Ensure They Fit In The Evening
While you may not really notice it, your feet tend to swell up throughout the day. In the evening hours, your feet will be bigger than in the morning when you just get out of bed. Having this knowledge is imperative for your shoe shopping experience. You want to go try on shoes in the evening hours. This way, your feet will be swelled up and you can base your shoe size off of this swollen measurement. By doing so, you can be ensured that your new shoes will remain comfortable no matter what time of day it is. Also, realize that activities like running can cause the feet to sweat and become swollen. Therefore, if you’re buying a pair of running or gym shoes, consider trying on shoes just after your run or your workout to get the ideal size for your feet.
Finding the proper shoes for your feet all starts with getting the right qualities. The above are five major qualities that every shoe you purchase should have. Remember that you rely on your feet a lot throughout the day and having the right shoe ensures that you’ll be able to adequately rely on your feet no matter how long your day ends up being.
Photo credit: Pixabay.
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