Spotting Quality Footwear: Best Shoe Features for Foot Health (check out my favorite brands at the end)

The sea of shoes available can make anyone confused on what would be best for one’s foot. I have seen this confusion play out when patients would bring in bags of shoes in the office that did not help .

Wouldn’t it be nice to have a podiatrist with you when you shoe shop? Well this is the next best thing. I will share what I personally look for in a shoe that indicates quality and what is best for certain types of foot pathology. Due to the plethora of shoes and types available, I will outline general attributes of shoes for foot health. Because most of us are well adapted to modern shoes and surfaces, I will save barefoot shoes for another blog post .

1. Shoe width should be as wide as the toes.

This can be checked by taking the insole out of the shoe and standing on it . Is your foot hanging over the sides? If so, the shoe will squeeze your foot . This will irritate bunions, hammer toes, tailor’s bunionettes and possibly cause a forefoot neuritis .

2. Check the Shoe Last Width and Quality of Shoe Construction

This can be done by removing the insole and seeing if the midsole is stitched or glued. This is a quick easy way to indicate quality. Also the width of this area can indicate if the shoe was made on a narrow or wide last . Then one would be able to discover the proper type shoe for a wider or more narrow foot . Unfortunately, combination lasts are not used any longer so if one have a narrow heel and wide forefoot finding an appropriate shoe will be difficult.

This shoe has cardboard glued midsole indicating the low quality of a cheap shoe.

3. For Forefoot Deformities, Look for a Stretchy Mesh Upper.

Vinyl or leather uppers will put a lot of pressure on forefoot deformities. Shoes with mesh stretchy uppers will give and decrease pressure on the deformities alleviating pressure type pain. Most shoes with this type of upper are sneakers but more and more dressier shoes are made with a stretchy upper. An internet search brings up many kinds.

If the toe box still puts pressure on your forefoot deformities, such as bunion and hammer toes, hammer  toe solution collection or bunion relief products may be helpful in further pressure relief.

4. The sole should not be overly flexible.

An easy way to determine this is if one can bend the shoe in half then it is too flexible . This will not be supportive to the foot and can place stress and strain on the foot anatomy causing pain. However if a person adapted to very flexible shoes and have not had foot problems, this shouldn’t be a problem.

5. A rocker type sole in the forefoot is beneficial to those with forefoot problems.

A forefoot rocker sole has a slight upturn at the ball to the toes . This means the shoe will help take up the motion of push-off and take the stress off the metatarsal phalangeal joints at the ball of the foot .

This is especially helpful for those with any ball of the foot pain from arthritis, fat pad atrophy at the ball of the foot , calluses , neuritis/ neuroma , joint inflammation of the metatarsal phalangeal joints.

6. A Firm Heel Counter

This can be tested by squeezing the heel area to be sure it is firm . This will support the heel and rearfoot motion during gait.

A flared sole at the heel with give more of a stable platform. This stabilize further the rearfoot in order to help ankle instability and prevent tendonitis.

What not to wear

 I think everyone’s feet immediately informs them what not to wear .

High heels are especially damaging in that the heel lift puts the ankle in a weakened position and can shorten the Achilles tendon. In addition the forefoot is squeezed and extra pressure is placed on the ball of the foot. This can initiate neuritis in the forefoot.

My Favorite Shoe Brands

Sneaker types within the brand vary widely so care must be taken in selection to examine individual quality and comfort. Shoe selection is very individualistic .

That said I always look for the aforementioned shoe qualities in shoe selection.

A cross trainer type shoe would be recommended for a person busy on their feet most of the day .

A walking sneaker has less supportive versus the cross trainer and running shoe. Sometimes I will recommend a running shoe for person in need of more shock absorption such as someone with a high arched foot.

Casual shoes should be reserved for sedentary activities as they are likely too narrow and not supportive for weight-bearing activities.

Dress shoes should be avoided or worn very briefly. I like to refer to dress shoes as torture devices. They will cause foot problems if worn on a regular basis.

My favorites below are not all inclusive and there are other good quality shoes that were not included .

My favorite sneaker brands ( walking, cross trainers, trail, running) : New Balance, Asics, Saucony, Aetrex, Hoka, Altra, Brooks, Rockport, Merrell, Ectonic, Orthofeet, Solomon, Keen

Dress shoes women: Vionics, Rockport, naot, dansko, alegria, birkenstocks, SAS free time, some clarks, propet

Dress shoes men: Rockport, SAS Time Out, orthofeet, Timberland, Ecco, Aetrex, Naot , Dansko, Drew , Propet.

Sandals: Orthofeet, chacos, Birkenstocks , Naot, Aetrex, Keen, Oofas , Reva

In conclusion, care taken to determine if a shoe is wide enough , has a rocker supportive sole, stretchy upper for forefoot deformities, and a firm heel counter will go a long way in preventing foot pain and problems.

I hope this helps you in your foot care journey. Here’s to your best foot forward!

Please check out my YouTube channel

and my episode on types of shoes for specific foot problems .