What to look for when choosing supportive footwear

July 11, 2019

Choosing appropriate footwear is important because the type of shoe that you wear, will have a direct impact on your foot health. The style and fit of your shoes are factors that need to be considered to prevent a wide range of foot conditions such as callus, corns, bunions and general foot pain. So, here is what you should be looking out for when purchasing your next pair of shoes:

Material

For the material of the shoe, we recommend that you avoid plastics or synthetics as they allow little ventilation – this leads to sweaty feet and increases the risk of fungal and bacterial infections. Instead, we advise you to look for leather or mesh shoes as these are natural and breathable materials.

Insole

Look out for supportive, cushioned insoles that ideally wick away moisture. Removable insoles can be washed regularly to reduce the risk of fungal and bacterial infections.

Midsole

The midsole in a shoe should be moderately thick and firm for shock absorption. The shoe should only bend where your foot bends (at the joint of the big toe) and not throughout.

Outsole

Grooves and treads in the outsole give your shoe a grip. The fewer the grooves and threads, the more likely you are to slip when wearing the shoes.

Toe box

We recommend a shoe with a wider, rounded toe box to give your toes enough room to move around. Your shoes should conform to the shape of your foot, not the other way around.

Fastening

Be it a buckle, belt, strap, elastic, velcro or laces, some form of fastening will support your foot by holding the shoe in place. ‘Slip-on shoes’ are a real culprit for hammer toe deformities as the toes claw desperately trying to keep the shoe from slipping off.