When your shoes don’t fit right, your feet can be subject to injury or even permanent deformity. These problems include soreness, blisters, calluses, corns, bunions, and hammertoe. Wearing well-fitting shoes can prevent pain and discomfort in your feet.

Here, we offer some guidelines for ensuring the best fit for your feet:

• Measure your feet regularly, as shoe size can change over time, even as an adult. Since your feet can swell during the day, the end of the day is the best time to have your feet measured.
• Regardless of the size of the shoe, you should choose the shoes that feel right.
• One of your feet may be slightly larger than the other. Your shoes will need to fit the larger foot.
• The ball of the foot is the widest area of the foot, so make sure the shoe fits well in that area.
• You should not count on your shoes stretching to fit your feet, as continually squeezing your foot into a tight shoe will cause damage.
• Make sure that the shoe fits your heel and does not slip off when walking.

In addition to making sure your shoes fit right in the first place, continuing to use shoes that have run their course can also cause problems.

Failure to replace shoes can result in:

• Daily aches and pains
• Falls resulting in fractures
• Soreness
• Sprained ankles

If you have questions regarding foot or ankle problems, call our specialty-trained doctors at Southern California Orthopedic Institute at (818) 901-6600 or request an appointment online here.