I’ve spoken before about how to get the right fit for children’s school shoes (where you can download my handy guide!) but what about us adults? Aren’t our feet important too?

While I’m an avid believer in orthotics and the impact they have, it helps to put them in a well-fitting pair of shoes!

Do your shoes fit?

The average shoe size is up about two sizes since the 1970’s, according to a study released recently by the College of Podiatry, a U.K. professional group.

Out of 2,000 adults more than a third of men and nearly 50% of women admitted buying shoes that didn’t fit properly! Buy them sure – but what happens to your feet when you try and wear them???

While the shoes we choose don’t cause bunions or hammertoes, they can prevent our feet functioning properly so make these conditions happen faster or simply make them worse.

Don’t wear flat shoes

Yup, you read that right, don’t wear flat shoes. While I’m not suggesting 4 inch stilettos, a small heel will make life more comfortable. In fact a survey done by the American Podiatric Medical Association in 2014 said that 25% of people said wearing flats, or flip flops made their feet hurt.

Here in Spain I see a much higher percentage of foot, ankle and knee issues because so many of my patients live in flip flops for so much of the year. On hard marble and tile floors this makes a little problem quickly grow into a big one.

Top Tips

1. Shop for shoes late in the day when your feet are hot, tired and at their largest, this means you are more likely to choose the right size and not squeeze into a smaller one.
2. Try your shoes on and walk around a bit – don’t buy online without a really good return policy!
3. Don’t always pick the same size – it won’t fit 45% of the time, be prepared to go up or down a size to get the right fit.