3 Tips when Buying Shoes

The feet are a very important part of posture. So, I’m going to discuss shoes and some of the things that you should be looking for when you purchase them.

There are 3 common rules when I’m buying shoes for walking, working, or just shoes in general:

  1. Shoes shouldn’t bend in the middle. For example, when a shoe has a hard-plastic bar in the middle it won’t allow the shoe to bend where your arches are. It will flex where the foot goes up but it won’t bend through the forefoot.
  2. The dishrag test: take the shoe and twist it. It shouldn’t be able to twist through the center. The same hard-plastic bar from the 1st rule should keep the shoe from being twisted.
  3. A shoe should have a nice strong heel. When you squeeze the heel it should be sturdy enough to hold a good position, not letting it rock too much while still holding up your arch.

Those are the three general rules when I look for shoes. People say, “I bought a really good brand. I bought New Balance.” They’re a great shoe, but guess what? Not all shoes (even from the same brand) are made the same. If it bends floppy in the middle and has a very weak heel support, it will torque.  These shoes are not as good for the spine and posture.

Now let’s move on to dress shoes. Dress shoes should be very strong and should not flex through the middle. They should only flex at the front. Grab your dress shoes and bend.  If you can easily bend through the middle, there’s no bar. That’s going to make for a bad day of walking around. When I go to the shoe store I start looking and bending. If it bends, “Nope I’m not gonna buy it.” I move on to the next pair, “Oh that’s sturdy! Now let me see if these fit and look good.” That’s how I choose shoes for myself. 

Let’s get into the “Oh boy this is probably going to create foot pain for you in the long term.” Flat shoes that are flexible and have no arch are not great for your feet if you have plantar fasciitis and all sorts of foot pain.  You need to get away from shoes like this. Wearing them on occasion is okay if you are going to a ball game, sitting and not really walking around too much.  If you’re gonna go to the zoo and walk around for hours, these are not so great. You don’t want to be wearing flexible shoes when you’re on your feet that much.

I highly recommend that if you’re walking, working or utilizing your feet, go for a good solid support in the middle. These shoes are not going to bend or torque and have a very strong heel. 

Those are some general rules to find better shoes for everyday use. I hope that helps!  Feel free to bring your kicks in to see Dr. James at Stones River Chiropractic to see if they pass his tests!

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