I remember watching one of Cinderella's mean, ugly stepsisters trying to force her over-sized foot into that delicate, SMALL, glass shoe. She twisted and pushed her foot, but to no avail. Prince or no prince, that foot wasn't going to fit inside that shoe. Cinderella's perfect foot (no hammer toes or bunions, a delicate arch ...) slid right into the glass shoe, and the prince with his happily-ever-after life guarantee was hers for the taking. Well, a proper, comfortable shoe "fit" may not get you a prince, but your feet will definitely function happily-ever-after.
Most of us lack the perfect foot of a cartoon rendering, so what do we look for when shopping for footwear? First, you need to know your anatomy. You need to know your foot shape and design, and that of the shoe you're shopping for - in this case, the athletic shoe. Starting with a good look at your feet, what do you see? A simple test of walking across dry pavement with damp feet lets you examine your footprints. If your footprint looks like the outline of an entire foot, your feet pronate (also known as being flat-footed). When the footprint shows just the toes and ball of the foot, your feet supinate (high arch). If your footprint shows the toes, ball, and edges of the foot, you have neutrality (like Cinderella). Next, look to see if your foot is wide or narrow. Take note of bunions, irregularly bent toes, swollen joints and callouses. These are indicators of current or potential irritation within a shoe.
Once you know your foot's anatomy, it's time to understand how the shoe's anatomy needs to conform to your foot. Here are some shoe anatomy pointers:
SHAPE - the bottom of the shoe can indicate its flexibility. Straight bottoms are usually rigid, whereas curved ones bend more easily. At push-off, your foot should flex between 45 and 55 degrees.
HEEL COUNTER - the rounded, firm material that stabilizes the heel to prevent excessive tilt or slippage - super important for flat feet. It should be padded and notched for the Achilles tendon.
FOREFOOT POSITIONING - this is the material that comes up over the side of the shoe to control movement of the foot from side-to-side. This lateral stability is crucial during activities where your foot may roll outward or inward.
MIDSOLE - between the outer sole and heel, this is the heart of the cushioning system. Shock absorption and arch stability reside here, which is important for all feet, but especially for those with high arches. High arches create rigidity and a less-forgiving foot.
TOE BOX - this space for your toes should allow the toes to wriggle and move for proper functioning. Additionally, a space of approximately 1/2" should exist between the end of your longest toe and the shoe.
OUTER SOLE AND UPPERS - the sole should offer a combination of rubber and polyurethane material. Outside materials of the upper shoe vary between all-leather and a leather-and-mesh combo. The latter allows for more breathe ability, but is typically less durable.
If you run, your shoes need to be retired after 400-600 miles since the midsole begins to break down. For the walker, shoes should be replaced every 6 months. For normal use, replacement at one year is recommended. If you have two pairs to alternate between, that is ideal. In fact, it allows the mid-sole to assume its original shape between use. Cleaning your shoes by hand is preferable to the roughness of machine washing and drying. And regularly check your shoes' treads for excessive wear and tear.
Remember, if you're in doubt about which sneaker is the best fit for your foot, talk to a professional. Most everyone's feet have been trapped inside of ill-fitting shoes at least once. It's no walk in the park - or should I say, dance at the prince's ball. Poorly made shoes, shoes that are simply on sale or look cool, are rarely bargains in the long run if they're not right for your foot. As for glass slippers - well - they secured Cinderella a future of happiness, even if her feet did ache at the end of the night. In cartoon land, pumpkins turn into vehicles, too ...
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