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Women these days are not the slaves
to fashion they once were. But even
so, shoes are the culprit for many foot problems, says Marilyn Yodlowski, MD, PhD, an orthopedic surgeon specializing in the foot and ankle at New England Baptist Bone and Joint Institute.  In a
survey in California, 80 percent of women stopped while walking down a street were wearing shoes that were too small. "Most of us have a fixed idea of what shoe size we wear and haven't had our feet measured in five years," Yodlowski says. "But as we age, our feet get wider and longer." High-heeled shoes with pointy toes are another offender because they push your weight forward onto the toes. It's no surprise then that most
shoe-related problems involve the toes--hammer toes, corns, bunions, or Morton's neuroma (pinched nerve).
Here are some tips for selecting shoes that fit,
adapted from the American Orthopedic Foot
and Ankle Society's recommendations:
- Don't select shoes by the size marked inside the shoe.
Judge the shoe by how it fits on your feet.
- Select shoes that conform as closely as possible to the shape of your foot.
- Have your feet measured regularly.
- One foot is often larger than the other. Fit the larger foot.
- Fit shoes at the end of the day when your feet are the largest.
- Stand when trying on shoes and make sure there is 3/8" to 1/2" beyond your longest toe.
- Make sure the ball of your foot fits snugly into the widest part of the shoe.
- Don't purchase shoes that are too tight, expecting them to stretch.
- Make sure the shoes are comfortable around the heel, and don't slip too much.
- Walk in the shoes to make sure they fit and feel comfortable.
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