Our Top Tips for Choosing Shoes that Support Healthy, Functional Feet

Is one of your New Year’s resolutions to stop abusing your feet and ankles with footwear that doesn’t properly support them? It should be.

You might be amazed at how much wearing the wrong shoes can harm your feet and ankles, leaving you prone to strains, sprains, hammertoes, bunions, and other podiatry problems.

At Town Center Foot & Ankle, our podiatry experts are always glad to hear that a patient with foot pain or ankle pain has resolved to pay more attention to finding the right footwear. Led by Dr. Stephen G. Eichelsdorfer (“Dr. Ike”), our team provides podiatry care to new and existing patients from our location in Kingwood, Texas.

Making the decision to wear better shoes doesn’t make the right footwear magically appear in your closet. You still have to find the right shoes. 

Do you know what you need to look for, and what you should avoid, when choosing shoes to support healthy and well-functioning feet and ankles? Here are some key tips and pointers.

Keep your specific needs in mind

Everyone’s body is different, and there are a wide range of support needs your feet or ankles may require. So when you’re shopping for shoes, take a minute to consider your feet.

Do you have high arches or flat feet? Narrow or wide feet? Do you tend to roll your feet and ankles inward or outward? These specifics make a big difference. The right shoes for one person may prove debilitating to someone with very different feet.

You may also have specific care needs that you should consider when choosing shoes. If you have developing deformities like bunions, bunionettes, or hammertoes, avoid shoes that compress your feet in the wrong ways.

Specialize your shoes

With shoes, it’s best not to go for all-in-one. Specialize your shoes to your activities, so you’re always getting the full support you need.

Athletes may need multiple pairs of specialized shoes for different sports or varying conditions. Even relatively sedentary people can benefit from using one pair of shoes for work conditions and one for leisure activities.

Your feet can also suffer from repetitive stress. If you always wear high heels, it takes a toll on your feet. Switching to more supportive footwear gives your feet a break after time spent in constricting formal or fashion shoes.

Seek professional advice

There’s never any harm in asking for a second opinion about the right shoes for you. You can consult with Dr. Ike about your footwear choices. It’s also often a good idea to talk to the staff at shoe stores, especially at specialty athletic shoe stores. The right advice from a pro makes a world of difference.

If you’re struggling with selecting the right shoes to support your feet, or suffer from podiatry issues related to poorly fitting footwear, contact Dr. Ike and our team at Town Center Foot & Ankle today. Call now to schedule your initial consultation appointment and get started finding the right footwear for you.