Our feet take a pounding each and every day.  Yet they are often overlooked in regards to our health.  The foot is an amazing part of our body with 26 bones and over 100 ligaments in each one.  Thus there is a lot there that can be injured.  On average, we take over a million steps each year and most of us wear the same pair of shoes throughout the year.  Would you drive your car that many miles on bad tires?  So then why do we neglect our feet?  According to statistics, 15% of Americans have foot problems.  Many of these are due to improperly fitted shoes.  We buy our shoes based on color and price and not on how they fit or feel on our feet.  A high priced shoe is usually well worth the money spent.  Many shoe stores are now specializing in properly fitting people with their brand of shoes.

So what are some of the basic rules to having a shoe fit properly?  To begin with, one does not need to “break in” the shoe.  They should be comfortable right out of the box.  Other shoe / foot tidbits:

• Size varies from brand to brand, thus purchase on the fit and not the size.
• Measure both feet, most of us has one foot larger than the other.  You would then purchase the shoe in the bigger size.  However, many stores are now allowing customers to take home the exact size for each foot.  Thus you have a different size for the one foot.
• When trying on the shoe, wear the socks that you would normally be wearing.
• Try on shoes later in the day when your foot is the largest.
• Look at your old shoes and see the wear pattern.  This is a good indication of your foot type in regards to your arch and foot alignment.  Many of the big name shoe companies now have shoes designed for the various types of feet.