What you need to know when buying shoes
Almost every client I work with at Complete Podiatry asks for help and advice about the what types of shoes to wear.
What shoes can help them feel more comfortable, help them run faster or just feel more comfortable at work; it's probably the one topic I talk about most regularly.
The right sorts of shoes make a huge difference to overworked or damaged feet but finding the right shoes can be a really difficult problem.
The right type of shoe makes a huge difference
The history of shoes
The earliest identified human shoes were found in Fort Rock Cave in Oregon and have been dated at
about 10,000 years old.
These ancient shoes were probably designed to protect the wearer from the incredibly hostile environment of the day.
10,000 years old - can you believe that?
Since this time we have been using shoes of a variety of shapes and designs to provide comfort, to protect our feet and make them look fashionable in the many styles and types available to us.
So what makes a good shoe?
There are many different types of styles, shapes and attributes of footwear, however, the 3 qualities of shoes that I feel are most important are:
1. The fit of the shoes
It's tough to find a shoe that perfectly matches the shape of our feet (try drawing around your foot on a piece of paper then trace the outline of your shoe on top of this) and commonly these styles of shoes are not the most aesthetically pleasing.
Unfortunately, many shoe manufactures tend to make shoes based on how much they have to spend on the shoe and the way they look rather than how they will fit and feel on a real person's foot.
Poorly fitting shoes can cause a multitude of foot problems including corns and calluses, thickened or ingrowing toenails, blisters, foot and toe deformities and general foot pain.
If your feet hurt while wearing a certain pair of shoes, it's highly likely that the shoe does not fit you properly, no matter how expensive they are or how nice they look!
2. How comfortable the shoes feel
One of the biggest changes in buying shoes over the last several years has been online shopping.
Buying shoes online can be quite a challenge
In the past, we would typically go to a shoe store, try the shoes on and see how comfortable they felt before committing to buy them.
Now, however, many people look at a shoe on a website and chose it based on what it looks like rather than how it feels.
The comfort of a shoe is a very individual thing so making sure you try on shoes before you buy them is super important.
3. How appropriate the shoes are for the activity you intend to use it for
Wearing the right types of shoes for the right occasion is also very important.
You wouldn’t want to wear a pair of hiking boots for a wedding and you wouldn’t want to wear a pair of stilettos to run a marathon.
Get the right shoes for the activity you are doing
Think about the types of activities you plan to do during your day and match your footwear to the activity intended.
Many of the surfaces we stand on today are very hard under our feet.
Concrete floors, bitumen roads and the like can produce a large amount of stress and subsequent damage to structures in feet and legs.
Consider shoes with appropriate cushioning if you plan to be on your feet a lot.
Shoes used in different sporting activities require more specific advice based on the requirements of those sports, so it's best to talk to one of our expert podiatrists to get the best advice that's right for you.
Why should I buy shoes at Complete Podiatry?
As your podiatrists, our priority is to help you build an amazing life from the feet up and our footwear options are just another way we can help you do this.
We have invested in a large range of footwear at Complete Podiatry to help our clients find options that will satisfy their footwear needs.
Our shoe fitters, Kylie and Cheryl, are trained at fitting shoes and, because we are a Podiatry clinic and not a shoe shop, they will never push you into buying a shoe you don't feel comfortable with.
In fact, I have seen times when one of our fitters flatly refused to sell a client a pair of shoes as they thought they would cause them problems!!!
We can do a cusom measure and fit for the shoes available in our clinics
The vast majority of our footwear are orthotic friendly (have an insole you can remove for your orthotic to fit comfortably in the shoe) and the ones that are not, tend to have a moulded sole that will offer you maximal support during your day.
All of the team at Complete Podiatry wear shoes from our range so feel free to ask them about their personal experiences with using our shoes on a day-to-day basis.
Our footwear options include:
Asics sports footwear
Asics are a great brand that I tended to avoid as I thought they wear too narrow for me.
After trying a couple of the running shoes we have in store I have found them to be actually quite broad with plenty of room to fit my wide forefoot.
We carry a range of Asics running shoes
Revere shoes and boots
Many of our clients have loves the Revere Boots we have in our clinics now.
All too often, orthotic friendly shoes have looked a little too much like 'Orthopaedic footwear' rather than the stylish, modern designs Revere are bringing out this year.
Our Revere winter range is very popular
Revere sandals
A brilliant solution for any of our clients who use orthoses, the Revere Sandals all contain removable insoles for orthotics.
A wide fit and great fastening straps in the right places make these shoes a staple in our clinics.
For comfort - Revere sandals are a must
Vionic shoes
Many of our clients love the modern look and comfort of the Revere shoes.
All of the Vionic shoes have moulded insoles to support your feet and have been designed with great attention to detail.
Our Vionic range - from sandels to boots
Dr Comfort footwear
I wear these shoes for work and as casual shoes and I can happily say they are the most comfortable work shoe I have ever worn.
Well-cushioned soles and a broad fit in the forefoot are just two of the design features that make Dr Comfort Footwear my work shoe of choice.
Dr Comfort is a brand know for exceptional comfort
Archies Thongs
As a Podiatrist, I am not a fan of thongs, however, I am also enough of a realist to know our clients still love to wear them.
So our compromise? Archies thongs; the most supportive, well-designed thongs on the market.
Our ever popular Archies - are available all year round
Need some more help?
As your Podiatrists, our goal is to help you live the most amazing life you can from the feet up.
Getting you into the right sorts of shoes if one of THE most important thing we can do to help you do this.
Now is a great time to come into one of our clinics if you are looking for footwear advice and help.
Call us on 8330 0004 or Book Online
Yours in helping to build amazing lives from the feet up
Anthony Robinson
Director of Complete Podiatry