Dawn Coletti

Shoe-buying Tips

You know the problem. You go to a store and buy a pair of shoes that feel fine as you walk around the store, but you later realize that they are in fact the most uncomfortable shoes ever to touch your feet. If they are a pair of dress shoes, you can still use them as intended. If they are running shoes, however, you will end up either throwing them in the closet or using them to cut the grass. If all you wanted to do was cut grass, you could have saved $70 at Wal-Mart.

How do you avoid repeating this scene? There are steps you can take even if you go to Sports Authority or Foot Locker, but one way to avoid problems is to go to a specialty store such as 9th Street Active Feet in Durham. The sales staffs at these stores are more likely to be runners or walkers themselves and to have an understanding of the physiological stresses from running and walking.

Do not expect to get the same size running or walking shoe as your everyday shoe. You will likely need to go up a half-size to a full-size from your standard shoe to find a running or walking shoe that feels comfortable. Some women are uncomfortable about this, and struggle to fit into their size 8 instead of the 9 that would actually fit (men are less concerned). Some salespeople do not understand running shoes work this way. A friend of ours (male) bought some trail running shoes in the wrong size even though they felt too snug because the salesperson assured him that the shoes would stretch and that he should just get the same size as the pair of wingtips he had just removed.

Make sure your foot feels comfortable in the shoe. Take the shoe out of the store for a quick run or walk. If you plan to walk or run outside most of the time, take the shoes outside on the concrete. If you plan to mall walk, try to walk a wing of the mall in the shoes. A short walk back and forth on carpet in the store will not let you know how the shoes will feel after your first five minutes on the road. If the store does not allow this, go someplace else.

When walking in the shoes, pay special attention to your toes and heel. You want your toes to be snug but not jammed together. You also do not want your heel to slide. Slippage at the toe or heel, can cause blisters. A small toebox can cause black toenails and other problems. Because shoes are made in a number of widths and styles you should be able to find a shoe that fits your foot regardless if your toes flare out from a narrow midfoot and heel or if your entire foot is narrow or wide. You can ease discomfort in the midsection of the foot by skipping some of the eyelets or other lacing techniques. A narrow heel is the most likely problem that no shoe will address. There is a lacing trick for this as well.

Try to determine your arch type (high, medium or low), foot type (narrow rectangle, wide rectangle, triangle), body type (heavy, light, or medium build), and foot motion (overpronate, neutral, or underpronate).

Bring a pair of old shoes with you. You may not know whether you overpronate, but the salesperson should be able to understand your tendencies based on your reported comfort with the shoe and the visible pattern of wear.

Try on shoes in the late afternoon. Your feet expand up to half a size as you walk through the day and shoes that feel great in the morning may be too small a mile into a walk.

Bring or buy a pair of socks that you will wear when you walk or run in your new shoes. The socks should be thin on top with a comfortable amount of cushion on the bottom, neither too thick nor too thin. Avoid traditional cotton socks that can trap moisture in the shoe and around your foot and cause blister problems—a special problem if you walk or run outside during our hot and humid days.

Remember that you do not need to buy the most expensive shoes in the store. You probably do not need all of the features incorporated in them. You can find shoes for every person at different price levels. Also, the shoes that are the most comfortable may not be the most attractive. I have forgotten this and had to return them. Your feet can’t see, but they will thank you for buying the right pair of shoes later.

Other resources:
American Running Association www.americanrunning.org
Runner’s World www.runnersworld.com
Running Times www.runningtimes.com