How to Pick Pain-Free Shoes

Are you a woman who loves to wear pretty shoes? Or a guy who wants the latest from "GQ" on your feet--no matter what? If so, your shoe habit could be causing you some pain.

A recent study of more than 3,000 men and women shows that those who went for function over form in their footwear early on--suffered half as much foot pain in later years, "The New York Times" reports.

Here are some tips for choosing shoes that will preserve your feet--yet still let you walk in style.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

1. Make sure that the shoe truly fits. Get your foot measured each time you go to buy shoes. Make sure you have each foot measured (you may have one foot that is longer than the other).

2. Pay attention to the width of the shoe, because styles vary. For example, if you have wide feet you may need to get shoes created with that in mind. In the United States, these sizes are usually denoted with the letter "W" after the size.

3. Try on each shoe with the type of socks you plan on wearing. The socks you wear could very much affect the fit. For example, if I were to buy hiking boots I'd be sure to put on my hiking socks when going for a fitting.

4. You don't need to sacrifice style for comfort. Some shoe companies, such as Ecco and Naturalizer, specialize in creating fashionable shoes that are also comfortable.

5. Consider the size of the heel. Part of the problem with some shoes is that the heel is so high that it places extra stress on certain points of the foot. Over time, more severe foot problems can develop. Save the high heels for special occasions.

6. Choose shoes that are appropriate for the situation. For example, wearing high-heel boots while walking a total of 7 miles through the streets of London is not exactly ideal (true story). I should have worn sneakers or comfortable walking shoes. I was in pain for the rest of the vacation. Learn from my mistake!

Tips & Warnings

• Several top shoe designers create comfy shoes for leisure with high style in mind. For example, Donna Karan makes a wonderful walking sneaker that is truly fashionable.
• If you are experiencing severe foot pain, be sure to see your doctor!

Resources

• NY Times Article: High Heels and Pumps Now, Foot Pain Later

[horiya]

on 11/2/2009 GREAT ADVICE AND TOTALLY NICE ARTICLE

[DiscountTickets]

on 11/1/2009 Great tips on picking & purchasing pain free shoes.

[heelshields]

on 11/1/2009 Good article. The better the quality of the shoe the less likely it is to hurt your feet if it is properly fitted.

[shabbie]

on 11/1/2009 I'll let my friend know, she has the hardest time finding shoes that are comfortable. She has a wide foot too. This is great!

[marqueza]

on 10/29/2009 Good advice that we all could learn from. I think we all have had this experience!