Do you know what I’m talking about? Our favourite pair of comfy shoes!
So the question is, how often do we check them out? Properly have a look at them and see whether they are in good repair or not. With every birthday, our bodies change-along with the numbers on the cake! Our joints can get stiff, our skin can get drier, and our activity levels can fluctuate depending on how active we are!
Now, a lot of footwear choice and function is related to your activity, so if you’re a footballer you wear football boots; if you’re a fireman you wear safety shoes; if you work in a shop you may wear trainers or boots, you name it. What we really need to think about is how suitable is that footwear for the activities we are doing? You wouldn’t wear heeled shoes for gardening now, would you?
- Shape of your shoes.
Does the shoe or the footwear look like the same shape of your foot?
Is it long enough?
Often our second toe is longer than the big toe, and the fit, size, and shape of shoes can change depending on the length of our toes.
These are all things you should be thinking about whilst getting a new pair of shoes!
2. Length of your shoes.
Many of you might have heard me say I like to see fluff in your shoes. The reason for this is because it means there is enough room in it. When I see footwear be too small for the foot, there is never any fluff in the toe box.
So, here’s a challenge. Go and find the last pair of shoes or trainers that you were wearing and check if there is fluff in the toe box of the shoe! If there is none, it could mean that the shoe is too small for you.
3. The sole of your shoes.
Is the sole of your shoe worn through? Are there stones stuck in the tread? How often do we actually look at the soles of our shoes?
I remember from my previous days in the NHS checking inside a gentleman’s shoe I found a golf peg and a 20p piece. He had no idea that they were in there, but he also had no idea he has a new wound on the sole of his foot where these objects had rubbed causing an ulcer!
An important reminder to check the soles of your shoes!
4. Let’s look at the upper.
Is the upper coming away from the seams? Has it overstretched and is now loose? So loose that the foot is moving side to side in the shoe?
When we look at the upper of the shoe, we need to consider the fastenings; whether it’s laces, zips, straps and buckles. We need to make sure that the foot is secured inside the shoe, and that it’s not moving around causing friction, we also need to make sure there is enough depth and room inside of the shoe so the foot doesn’t get squashed.
Take a good look at home at all the shoes you have, if they don’t pass the tests, it might be time to upgrade things. After all, the tyres on our car get worn and we have to replace them for safety, just think about the miles that you’ve done in your shoes! They are the vehicle that you travel in.
If you’ve any questions or queries regarding your footwear and whether they pass the test, or if you’re curious about your footwear and activities you may be doing, get in touch.
You can contact us via email or phone, or if you want to book an appointment we can spend the time discussing and looking at your footwear to see whether we can rectify any issues that you have, and give you some good advice that’s going to suit your individual needs.