Buy the Right Size Women's Shoes
Learn How High Heel Stillettos and Flat Shoes Can Hurt Your Feet
How many pairs of shoes do you have lurking in your closet that hurt your feet? Amazingly, approximately seven out of every ten women are wearing the wrong size shoes.
In Stephanie Pendersen’s book, Shoes – What Every Woman Should Know, (David & Charles 2005), podiatrists estimate that up to 85% of the female population are wearing ill-fitting shoes.
According to the Daily Mail article “£1,000 a year on shoes – is that all?” of 10th August 2006, three quarters of women interviewed in a Harper’s Bazaar survey “have bought shoes that were too small or wickedly uncomfortable – yet were still willing to wear them.”
Such is the modern woman’s obsession with shoes that 80 of the women respondents in this survey said they had considered plastic surgery to make their feet look more attractive.
Constantly wearing shoes that are too small or too high can cripple your feet and cause problems for your body. Ill fitting shoes can cause bunions, blisters, calluses, calf strain, knee damage and lower back pain and increase the likelihood of accidents.Badly fitting women's shoes can not only damage your back, but your purse strings too. A poorly fitting shoe will wear out faster than one that fits, as it will put extra strain on the shoe.
High Heeled Shoes Vs Low Heels
- High heels elongate and flatter the leg, but they also raise the buttocks and curve the back which in turn pushes the chest forward. Hence, instant wiggle and sex appeal, from housewife to sex kitten in seconds. So what, if they cripple your feet and give you blisters!
- For everyday wear pick a shoe style with a heel of no higher than four cm or under two inches.This limits the amount of stress on your feet, calves and back, reducing the risk of bad posture. In the Daily Mail’s article “So what sort of shoes should you wear,” of 23rd March 2003, podiatrist Kate Simpson says “totally flat shoes are not ideal for overall health of feet or legs, a small heel is better.” Low French heels or Kitten heels of around ¾ inch or two cms are beneficial as they relax calf muscles and reduce tension in tendons and ligaments around the foot.
- Interestingly, according to a report in the medical publication The Lancet, of 6 April 2002, skinny heels may actually be slightly better for your knees than wider ones, as although both heels increase knee-joint pressure, narrow heels provide 22 percent pressure as opposed to 26 percent pressure with wider ones.
- If you are a lover of Manolo Blahnik-style skyscraper heels, then alternating high heels with lower ones will enable your body to adapt and provide a sensible, healthier compromise.
How to Choose the Right Size Shoes for Your Feet
- In the Daily Mail’s article “Buying the Right Summer Shoes,” of 18th April 2002, Emma Supple, chiropodist also suggests that when buying sandals “choose a strap round the back or heel of your foot as it is far more comfortable if the strap is around the big bones than trying to expect the small ones at the front of your feet to take all the pressure.”
- To avoid pinching, rubbing and blistering, buy your summer or holiday shoes one size bigger than your winter shoes.
- Buy shoes in the late afternoon, when feet are at their widest, as your foot can expand as much as half a size.
- Don’t be afraid to spend time trying shoes in the shop. Walk up and down, rock on your heels and do a few twirls to ensure a correct and comfortable fit.
- Leave about ¼ inch or one cm between your longest toe and the end of the shoe, advises Pendersen in her book Shoes. Make sure your toes have enough room to lie flat, without being scrunched up, which can lead to crows' feet..
- In order to prevent rubbing and blisters, the heel of your foot should sit comfortably in the shoe with a small amount of room for slippage.
- Go for a shoe style that resembles the shape of your foot. Don’t choose a long pointed-toed shoe if you have wide toes and it is going to squash your feet.
- Just as with clothes, you may find that you require different size shoes depending on various manufacturers' cuts and fits.
Consider your body shape and size of your legs and ankles. If you are short with chunky legs, try to avoid an ankle strap, which will only serve to make your legs look bigger. If you have big feet ,avoid very dainty shoes but don’t go over the top with heavy women's shoes either. Find a style in between, which will flatter your feet.
