How do you find the right shoes online?

Shoes can serve many functions:

• They have to cushion your body weight.
• They have to prevent injuries.
• They protect the feet.
• And they have to look good while making us feel comfortable!

Is it worth trying to order shoes online?

• Shopping online for shoes can be extremely difficult, because there is the risk of sending it back wasting our time and money.
• Even worse: poorly fitting shoes can be painful and cause many foot problems like bunions, corns, blisters, calluses, plantar fasciitis and stress fractures for your feet.
• Online shoe shopping can work great for shoes with more “forgiveness” factor like running shoes and walking shoes.
• Online shoe shopping can be more difficult for dress shoes and pointed women’s nice looking shoes.
• The tips below and the video above will give you the best possible chance for not having to send them back!

How Should Shoes Fit [Top 10 TIPS!]

This top 10 guide will show you how to tell if a shoe fits and how are shoes supposed to fit!

1) Once per year measure your foot size & width:

• It is very important to measure your foot size once per year.
• The average Americans foot size grows about 1/2 size every 10 years.
• If you’re past 30, you probably realize by now that you don’t have the same shoe size as when you were a teenager.
• Most of your foot growth plates close by the time you are about 15 years old, but your feet still continue to flatten out.
• Unfortunately this is because the ligaments enjoyed continue to flatten instruction before until the day we can barely stand anymore hopefully around 100 years old or more!

2) Use your biggest foot as the guide to buying overall shoe size.

• It’s normal for one foot to be bigger than the other, or wider than the other.
• The general rule is that you should state your shoes to the larger foot.
• This is even more important because in a perfect shoe we want to get you a pair of orthotics, and it is easier to fill the shoes extra space up, rather than have to buy a bigger shoe.
• If your ordering issue online, always round up, because it is possible to take up more room inside the shoe, but if the shoe is too small it is impossible to go the other way.

3) Measure your feet at the end of the day:

• The average person’s feet swell about 1/2 to 1 full size during the day.
• This is because we are on our feet, our muscles are working hard all day and they really do swell during the day.
• So make sure your feet can handle that swelling at the end of the day.
• This is another reason to always go up about 1/2 to 1 full shoe size.

4) Shoe sizing is unreliable!

• Just like the vitamin industry or your T-shirts, you know that you can’t trust what the label says!
• Shoes are the same way: someone size 9 is someone else’s size 10, and that might be somebody else’s size 11.
• The shoes are made by millions of workers in factories for very cheap amounts.
• No one is there with the ruler measuring that each one is made exactly the same.

5) Shoe shapes are very different between shoes:

• I’m a huge fan of the great running shoe brands, you can find them in our recommended shoe guide.
• The problem is there are a lot of bad shoes of there.
• This means that some are curved C-shaped shoes, some have pointed shoe boxes like high heel shoes.
• Some have lots of room for orthotics, where some could never fit in orthotic in their life.
• If you are going for comfort go with a trustworthy shoe brand.
• The cheaper the shoe: the more likely it is that the insert is taped in and that the shoe size and shape will differ from what it should be.

6) Shoes don’t always stretch out over time:

• Usually shoes from really good manufacturers should be good for about 300 miles.
• A lot of good shoes now have extra cushion.
• It is said that the average very well cushioned shoe lasts more like 150 miles.
• On the other hand woman’s formats and other fancy type shoes can last significantly less than even 100 miles.
• The fabric isn’t always stretchable, it can simply fall apart and get worse for you.
• This is why it’s important to always probably go up the size, even while accounting for your feet swelling.

7) Consider the width of the shoe:

• The ball of your foot should fit in the front of the shoe.
• The problem with this is that the front of the shoe can sometimes be pointy and squeeze your toes together.
• This can cause bunions, this can cause hammer toes to develop.
• On the other hand I see a lot of patients with a very, very white toe box, this lets her feet flatten out in the slide around get blisters.

8) The depth of the shoe is also very important:

• Most cheaper shoe brands out there are not big enough to fit an extra orthotic or a heel pad.
• Personally I can never wear a shoe that cannot fit my best orthotics.
• Once you go into an orthotic your life is changed forever and you will not go back.
• Many shoes out there now, especially sketchers for example have a large foam inserts glued in.
• The problem with this is that it does compress over time.
• It is then hard to remove these without damaging the shoe and you can actually get a good supportive insert in there.

9) Your foot will flatten out much wider while you are standing.

• This means that even though shoe looks like it fits while you are sitting, when you stand your feet will stretch out and crowd the front of the shoe.
• I see this problem frequently made by patients.
• Your feet will run into the front of the shoe while you stand keep that in mind.
• So check the space at the end of your shoe!
• You should be able to fit your thumb between the longest toe and the front of the shoe.

10) Try to stand in the shoe and walk around:

• I have frequently tried to put on great-looking and feeling  shoes, but right away they didn’t feel right.
• When I walked I could see that my heel was slipping out or that it was unstable around the heel.
• For a lot of people we always make sure that they can get up and move around.
• This can sometimes make a huge difference for your shoes!

Specific Shoe Type Tips:

How Should Running shoes Fit:

• Most great brands of running shoes are designed to have a removable insert, so that you can fit the customer orthotic over and over the counter insert into your shoe.
• They also now usually have very specific fixed features, but generally they have a lot of cushion in the midsole, and the most popular ones have the heel that is more cushion than the front of your foot.
• They also have the flexible region in the ball foot, were as the middle in the back of the shoe should be pretty stiff.

How tight should running shoes be?

• For running shoe to fit properly and not be too tight, the toe should not be bumping up against the end.
• You should not have pain on the inside of your big toe or the outside of your fifth toe.
• While standing you should have the ability to fit your big toe joint between the tip of your toe in the front of your shoe.
• Officially should have 1/2 to 3/4 of an inch to the front of the shoe.

Walking shoes:

• Walking shoes are very similar to running shoes, in that he should have a flexible ball of the foot, is called the toe spring.
• While at the same time they have a slightly higher seal that can absorb shock.

How Should Dress Shoes Fit:

• Most great-looking dress shoes like oxfords, are made to look good, but not before comfort.
• Oxford shoes and Italian style loafers do not have much science behind them, not design to be comfortable.
• Personally we like to look at that we list, that have almost running shoe like soul with cushion and arch support.
• You can even fit an orthotic into these types of shoes.
• Check our recommended dress shoes to see what we recommend!

How should hiking boots fit:

• How should hiking boots fit? Hiking boots have the benefit of holding your ankle if it is a good.
• Personally I would prefer room for a good orthotic, and about 1/2″ between your big toe joint in the front of your shoe.
• This allows you to support your ankle and your foot properly.

How should sneakers fit:

• How should sneakers fit?Sneakers should fit very similar to running shoes.
• You should have room between the inside of your big toe and the outside of your fist toe.
• You should also have 1/2″ from the end of the longest toe to the front of the shoe.
• It should not feel like you’re sliding around inside the shoe.

How should soccer cleats fit:

• How should soccer cleats fit? Cleats generally fit much tighter especially soccer shoes.
• If able to, I’m a big fan of getting a three-quarter orthotic in my cleats, but this is less essential than walking shoe.
• Ideally you do want a 1/2″ between your longest toe and the front of the shoe.
• From side to side does little bit difficult to get more room.

Shoe anatomy in good construction:

This tips may help with how to tell if your shoes are too big or too small or how tight should shoes be:

• There are a few good rules on how to check for a really good shoe:
• You should be able to grab the shoe from the front to the heel, and try to bend and twist it.
• It is usually the sign of low-quality shoe is sick and twisted and then very easily.
• The only flexible part of the shoe should be in the where the big toe joint and other toes connect to the foot.

The Shoe Upper:

• The material above the soul of the shoe, is called the upper part of the shoe: if this is a soft well cushion and breathable material, you’re much less likely to develop skin rubbing, redness or irritation of your hair if you have any.
• This is much more comfortable for standing for periods of time.

Shoe Laces:

• Another great part of the upper of the shoe, is the fact that it has leases or straps.
• If you have a hard time tying your shoe, there are elastic places that were called out to.
• Loafers still shoes are more likely to cause rubbing and blister formation after long periods of standing, as they do not conform to your foot as well.

Removable Orthotic:

• The single biggest benefit of a good pair of shoes is the fact that the arch support insert inside the shoe should be removable.
• If you are able to try an over-the-counter orthotic, which does not have to be expensive: you will never go back!
• A great shoe, and a great over-the-counter orthotic for significant improvement.

How to make a big shoe fit smaller:

• You are in luck, we made that guide to do just that for you.
• If you want to make shoes smaller, or make a big shoe fit smaller, follow this guide!