Buying Supportive Shoes
How do I know if my shoes are supportive?
Foot wear can be a significant factor associated with painful feet. The problems commonly seen in our office include shoes that are much too flexible and lack midfoot support. If you can bend your shoe so that the heel and toe touch together, your shoe lacks support. Other signs of supportive shoes are ones that have some torsional rigidity — if you can wring it out like a wash cloth, it may be time for an upgrade.
The heel of the shoe should be rigid enough that you can’t easily push it down. Flats are often comfortable but sometimes not supportive enough. A low profile orthotic device can be made to offset this. Lastly, shoes should be alternated daily to allow one pair to properly dry. If you can’t afford a new pair of shoes annually, spraying the inside with Lysol to clean them is a good idea.