How do I get a proper fit?

Selecting a shoe that fits properly is critical. Yet 95 percent of consumers don’t wear shoes that fit properly. The reason? Fewer than 10 percent of shoe salespeople have even basic training in foot anatomy or shoe sizing?

Shoes that don’t fit can cause a variety of problems from blisters, corns and calluses, to foot, leg and back pain. Here are some tips on finding shoes that fit.

First, quality shoes come in sizes and widths. Some brands come in medium widths only. People with narrow feet buying shoes with a medium width have to fit the shoes short to keep them on their heels. When you take a step, your foot elongates by 1/3 of an inch. If your shoes are fit short, your toes have nowhere to go when you walk and you end up with toe problems.

People who have wide feet buy medium-width shoes extra long in order to fit their feet. When this happens, the shank, designed to be under the arch of the foot, is actually under the ball. The shoes don’t bend easily and they slip at the heel.

 When trying on shoes, make sure the wide part of your foot sits in the wide part of the shoe. Allow 3/8 to ½ inch of free space in the toe area. Also, try on shoes at the end of the day when your feet are at the largest and, if you are like most people who have one foot slightly larger than the other, fit your larger foot.