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Let Comfort Trump Style When You Buy Shoes

Seek an expert for the best fit

By Ellen Piligian

If the shoe fits, wear it. Seriously. A recent survey by the American Podiatric Medical Association (APMA) found that 35% of Americans say they place more importance on comfort than style when purchasing new shoes. Yet, 19% of respondents said foot pain prevented or inhibited them from their daily routines.

That leaves many people making poor footwear choices, often opting for fashion over function. And that can lead to foot problems.

Bilal Ismail, D.P.M., a podiatric surgeon in Dearborn, says most of the shoe-related problems he sees are in women, often due to their wearing heels over 2 inches.

“They change the function of the foot,” says Ismail, adding that 3-inch and higher heels can create seven times the normal pressure on the ball of the foot, leading to pain and calluses.

High heels also cause back and knee problems, ankle sprains and heel pain, while pointy-toed toes can lead to hammertoes and worsen – or even cause – bunions. “[Heels] look nice – and they are good for business – but they are bad for the feet,” Ismail says.

Another big offender is the ever-popular flip-flop. Joe Dyament, a certified pedorthist and owner of Foot Solutions in St. Clair Shores, says shoes such as flats and flip-flops that lack support also can lead to problems, including plantar fasciitis, an overuse injury affecting the sole of the foot.

“[Plantar fasciitis] is the biggest problem I see,” says Dyament. “It causes inflammation ... and a jarring pain in the heel.”

Even kids suffer the effects of poor footwear choices. Carl Spina, coach of the Saline High School men’s cross-country running team, says he routinely sees early-season injuries in athletes as a result of their wearing new street shoes. Spina emphasizes the importance of having a shoe properly fitted to your individual needs – foot width, arch and other factors, in addition to length – rather than assuming the size you usually wear is going to do the job.

“It depends on each person’s foot,” he says. “That’s why I recommend going to a specialty running shoe store. Let someone else do the work. It’s almost like going to a doctor.”

Ismail concurs. “Buy your shoes from someone who knows what they are doing,” he says. And if you still have pain, see a foot specialist, either an orthopedist or podiatrist.

5 Ways to Find a Great Shoe

Know your foot type. “Don’t put a flexible foot in a flexible shoe,” says Joe Dyament, owner of Foot Solutions in St. Clair Shores. “That will compound the problem.”

Buy shoes at the end of the day when feet are largest, and get measured each time you buy shoes.

“Test-drive” shoes for eight minutes in the store. “It takes that long for your body to recognize something different is going on,” says Dyament.

Choose thick heels no higher than 2 inches, says podiatric surgeon Bilal Ismail, D.P.M. Wear them only a few hours at time.

Visit the American Podiatric Medical Association’s Web site at www.apma.org/sealofacceptance to find shoes that have earned its seal of acceptance.