Foot Support: What to Look For When Buying Shoes

CLEVELAND - April is Foot Health Awareness Month.

Did you know your shoes could be the source of your back and knee pain?

“If a shoe is too soft or not supportive enough, you can definitely experience some knee buckling or some lower back pain,” said Joy Rowland, DPM, podiatrist at Cleveland Clinic. “It's very important to make sure that you have good shoes on, especially in the summertime.”

Dr. Rowland said patients are often surprised their shoes could be contributing to pain in other parts of their body. 

And that’s not all.

Poor footwear can also cause bunions, ingrown toenails, hammer toes, plantar fasciitis, and flatter feet. 

So, what can you do to help prevent those issues?

Dr. Rowland recommends buying shoes that have a breathable material, firm heel and good arch support, which can in turn improve your alignment and posture.

The front toe box should also be on the wider side.

“Always get measured for a shoe. Your foot changes structure and it changes size over time. So just because you wore an eight and a half three years ago doesn't mean you're still in an eight and a half today,” she said. “Always make sure you get measured and towards the end of the day when your feet are a little bit more swollen. And you want to base this upon the activity that you're doing.” 

Dr. Rowland said the same advice applies for sandals as we head into summer. 

They should have good arch support as well.